


Cerulean Blue

by Ravustics



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Abusive Relationships, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Anxiety Disorder, Blue Lions Route, Byleth with short hair, Canon Compliant, Canonical Character Death, Cussing, Dreams, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Eventual Romance, F/M, Female Friendship, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Implied/Referenced Torture, Late Night Conversations, Minor Character Death, Panic Attacks, Platonic Female/Male Relationships, Post-Time Skip, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, References to Depression, Reunions, Sad Kiddos, Swearing, Violence, War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-06
Updated: 2019-09-18
Packaged: 2020-08-10 20:58:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 19
Words: 50,705
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20141893
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ravustics/pseuds/Ravustics
Summary: She felt her chest ache, she did not like this side of Dimitri, it was cold, angry, doubtful, menacing and violent. Byleth squeezed her hands into fists, feeling her nails prick the calloused skin. She wished she’d done more to contain the darkness that was in him, she wished she’d saved him before the war. However wishful thinking got her no where and she would make it her mission to save him now.Byleth would save Dimitri, even if it costed her everything.- Novelisation of the post-timeskip for the Blue Lions route with added scenes -





	1. Awaken

When Byleth opens her eyes the first thing she notices is the grey clouds hanging low in the sky, the distant sound of thunder and the sensation of something wet against her skin and armour. She feels tired, more so than she can remember, she can also feel someone’s hands hooking under her arms and dragging her away from the source of whatever sent chills up her spine. Byleth moves her gaze away from the sky and shifts it down to her feet, staring at the river that flows by, what she can only imagine is a village. She can also see The Sword of the Creator attached to her hip, digging into the dirt and creating a trail, the weight is reassuring by her side. Byleth wants to move but whoever is dragging her is doing so gingerly and their hands are warm and comforting on her skin – it could be a murderous brigand and she should act now but her mercenary skills are dulled.

The pulling stops and she’s placed beside an open fire, the flames dance and the wood crackles, warming her down to the core. Perhaps the stranger is going to cook her and eat her alive, that would be a tale to tell her students-

_Students_, _gods how could she forget. _

Ashe, Sylvain, Ingrid, Annette, Dedue, Mercedes, Felix and Dimitri. Her darling Blue Lions who she has come to know as her family, the people she can trust blindly and rely on. Ashe, an absolute sweetheart and carer of flowers just like Dedue, she loved watching them plant and water the flowers in the garden – she always made time to help them. Ingrid, her strong knight who just wanted to live her life her own way, similarly to Mercedes who just wanted to work for the church. Annette, who pushed herself to do her best and helped make tea with Byleth. Sylvain who skirt chased but truly just wanted recognition for himself, rather than his family crest, and Felix who wanted to be the strongest and challenged Byleth to a duel whenever she had time to spare. There were also students who asked to join her class and she couldn’t deny their request, especially Flaynn who just wanted to explore and be herself without her father following her every step.

And Dimitri, _Dimitri Alexandre Blaidud. _Dimitri, who blushed whenever he was shy or praised, who led his house with pride and cared for all of them. Dimitri, who said Byleth’s smile was mesmerising, who gave her a Blue Lions medallion for her birthday, who made a promise with her in the Goddess Tower that they would always be together. Dimitri, who was her best friend and closest ally, someone that Byleth knew would make her heartbeat faster if it could even beat. Dimitri, who had just found out his half-sister was the Flame Emperor and had fallen into the darkness that Byleth had sensed the moment she laid eyes on him. Dimitri who had ran full speed ahead, who had ignored her orders and pushed past to kill Edelgard.

Byleth’s eyes widened and she pushed herself up quickly and instantly regretted it as a wave of nausea overtook her. The world span and she softly groaned, bringing a hand to her forehead. Most likely the stranger who had saved her knelt down in front of her, placing a hand on her shoulder to steady her.

“Hey, hey, hey – woah, settle down there… You just woke up.” They stated, voice nasally and raising in pitch. He looked to be a young man, tan skin burned in areas – most likely from working in the sun, ash brown hair and matching eyes.

Byleth did not care for whoever this man was, she was grateful for him saving her from the river, but she had to get back to her students, especially Dimitri. She ignored his words and pushed his hands away, slowly getting up.

The man grasped her arms as she stumbled on her heels, the sharp edges digging into the moist dirt, Byleth pulled away muttering a soft, “Thank you.” Her voice was scratchy, and her throat was dry. When exactly had she fallen into a river? The last thing she could remember was helping Rhea fight off the Adrestian Empire and falling into – what she thought was – a bottomless chasm. She glances around, thinking that perhaps it would be wise to ask where exactly she was before hurrying off in a random direction.

Byleth shifted her gaze back to the man, “Where am I?”

The man crosses his arms over his chest, a furrow to his brow. “We’re in a village at the base of monastery, we were apart of the Alliance but…” He lets out a huff and drags his dirt-covered fingers through his hair. “Anyway… What are you doing in a place like this? Especially in a river no less, I assumed you came from the Garreg Mach upstream of here, but that place is abandoned…” He trailed off, clutching his chin in thought.

Byleth’s brow furrowed, _abandoned? _She remembered protecting it with Rhea. How could it have become abandoned in such a short amount of time?

Byleth voiced her internal questions, “What do you mean?”

The villager blinked owlishly, her question shaking him from his stupor. “What…? You don’t know? Where the hell have you been for five years not to know what happened.… The Church of Serios isn’t there anymore.”

Byleth felt her stomach drop. “I-I’m sorry… Did you say five years?” She croaked; the statement left her confused.

“Gods, maybe you bumped your head on the way down here… Maybe you should lie back down…” He ushered. “t’s the Ethereal Moon of the year 1185. It’s been nearly five years since the monastery fell. Tomorrow was supposed to be the millennium festival, but who’s got time to think about that?”

Byleth was tempted to take his offer and lie back down, hopefully this was just a dream and Mercedes had merely thrown a sword at her – knocking her out. Yeah, that made sense – it happened to Dimitri of all people and he was the strongest person Byleth had ever met.

The stranger ignored her silence and continued to ramble, “The war’s still going on and the archbishop is still missing, so is that famous professor who wielded that nifty sword…” he paused to sigh, shrugging his shoulders. “I doubt there’s a soul to be found who has enough blessings worth counting.”

The woman had heard quite enough, she needed to get back to the monastery and find her students, make sure they were safe. _Five years _she’d been asleep for and so much had happened during half a decade. She started to walk but was stopped by a pressure on her arm.

“Woah! Where the hell do you think you’re doing! You just woke up!”

Byleth wretched her arm away, “The monastery.”

The man retracted his hand to wave it about exasperatedly, “Are you nuts! That place is crawling with thieves and not to mention there’s that psycho with an eyepatch who’s running around murdering people. Maybe it would be best if you went somewhere else?”

Byleth shook her head and continued walking, “I cannot, I must go to the monastery.”

“Tch, alright then, its on you if you wind up dead – don’t blame or haunt me for it.”

“I will not die; my students are waiting for me.” She turned and looked back, “Thank you for rescuing me, perhaps we will meet again.”

The man huffed, clicking his tongue as he watched the odd woman walk away. “Students…? That woman really is crazy, I haven’t seen any students there for years… Unbelievable.”

Byleth followed the river towards the monastery, she could see the mass piles of bodies, broken and forgotten weapons, and abandoned homes. It really had been five years and Byleth had left her students _all alone. _She felt guilt claw at her throat and the sting of tears in her eyes, gods she couldn’t cry now – she shouldn’t even be allowed to. Some teacher she was.

Byleth trudged along, ignoring the curious gaze of villagers in their homes and those tending to their crops. She wondered if she looked strange due to her bright hair and eyes, she missed her dark blue hair and lilac eyes. Her father had told her she looked just like her mother, and Rhea had stated the same thing. She did not mind the green, it reminded her of Sothis and she missed talking to someone who knew her incredibly well, a little too well for Byleth’s taste.

The woman stopped as she saw the monastery still standing and looming over the fields below, she could still remember when she first came here with her father, Edelgard, Claude and Dimitri. It was something she would never forget, Byleth still believed it was her fate to become a teacher, her destiny if you will. Although the grand building still stood, it was in terrible shape. From where she stood, she could see areas concaved and walls reduced to rubble. She did not want to think about the bodies that lay within, most likely all deceased – some could be her friends, colleagues or even her students. Yet, Byleth was stubborn and she had promised her students that she would meet them on this rightful day. With a deep inhale she pressed forward, keeping her hand steady on the hilt of her sword.

  
***

As Byleth walked through the monastery she left nostalgic, memories resurfacing as she walked past her old classroom, remembering laughter, smiles, boring lectures and the joy of her students making her proud. Yet now the desks were ruined, her chalk board was smashed, and the ceiling of the room was concaved. She felt a great sadness, the pain squeezing her chest – perhaps if she hadn’t helped Rhea and had worried more about her students, she could’ve helped them and maybe this war could have finished years ago. It’s wishful thinking and Byleth knew that her merely being there wouldn’t change much.

She pressed on, taking her time to go to every room and assess the damage, and of course there were corpses laying about. One however looked to be fresh – which unnerved her, who had been here recently? The pool of blood surrounding the thief was scarlet red, it was slowly drying up, but he only looked to be a day old. She walked past the dead body and noticed another, and another. A trail of dead bodies and Byleth was following them. She didn’t know if it was idiotic, smart or downright morbid, yet she continued following the trail.

The trail led her to the Goddess Tower, she remembered how beautiful it had been when she had come up with Dimitri. The tower wasn’t covered in blood and the lifeless bodies of thieves and those of the Adrestian Empire. It had been almost ethereal, and she swore Dimitri had almost confessed to her on that night, he had been incredibly flustered. It was adorable to see such a chivalrous and confident person reduce to an awkward mess.

She walked up the steps, her heels echoing throughout the tower, bouncing off the walls to sound louder. She stepped over blood and more corpses – she had seen enough today. As she reached the top of the stairs, she could hear the rush of wind knocking the tower and the trickle of sunlight drift through the opening of the ceiling. She had not realised how long she had been looking through the monastery for, and at what time had the dark clouds cleared up finally cleared up. She stepped into the light and glanced around, she could not se-

She stopped as her eyes caught onto a figure resting against the wall, curled up and gripping a lance tightly. Long blonde locks covering their face, blue, black and white armour covering their entire masculine form. They were large and appeared muscular, almost intimidating Byleth because how could someone appear so large while crouched? Dimitri could, he was always one of the tallest, broad shouldered and locks the colour of sunflowers.

Her immediate thought was that it was him, “Dimitri?” she called softly, taking a step forward. Who else could it be, who else had blonde hair and wielded a lance? She could not believe it, it was him, wasn’t it? Had he waited up here for her? Is that why he was here, waiting for her to come back? She felt tears well up in her pale eyes and took another step forward.

The figure lifted their head, one striking blue eye met her pair, one of his eyes was covered by an eyepatch and the rest of his face was covered in speckles of blood, some had seeped into his hair, making it pink.

_It was him_.

It was Dimitri and she felt the tears break free and trail down her tan skin, he was here – waiting for her. She swore if her heart could beat, it would be beating a mile per second. She walked towards him, quickening her step to crouch in front of him, her hands shook as cupped his face.

“Dima… It’s you, isn’t it? You’re here, you’re alive… and you’re okay…” She mumbled to herself, feeling her bottom lip jolt as it started to tremble.

Dimitri’s brow furrowed and he jerked his face away from her grasp, jaw clenching as he ignored the hurt in her eyes. “I should’ve known… That one day… You would be haunting me as well…” He hissed.


	2. Dimitri

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Haunt you? Dimitri I am right here, I promised you and the others that we would meet here in five years…” She explained, the tears had finally stopped falling and she so desperately wanted to embrace he prince.
> 
> Dimitri continued to ignore her words, his eye downcast and gaze hollow.

Byleth faltered, the hands that had cupped his face now rested close to her chest, Dimitri had never recoiled from her touch. Usually the man would lean into her caress or initiate he touch albeit with slight hesitation. He always remained a gentleman whenever they were alone, and it made Byleth feel like one of those haughty noble ladies. Dimitri would grasp her hand, kiss the back of her palm, he had embraced her when her father had died, squeezing her with reassuring words by her ear. She could even recall when he had run his gloved fingers through her pale hair when she swore she had returned, finally one with Sothis. It hurt that now he did not seem to care at all, whoever was kneeling before her was a shell of the man he once was.

“Haunt you? Dimitri I am right here, I promised you and the others that we would meet here in five years…” She explained, the tears had finally stopped falling and she so desperately wanted to embrace he prince.

Dimitri continued to ignore her words, his eye downcast and gaze hollow. Byleth could now see the lilac crescent under his eye, and she wanted to brush her thumb over the sensitive skin. She jolted as he stood up slowly, he rolled his shoulders, tightening his grip on the lance before finally returning her gaze. Byleth quickly rose only to be utterly flabbergasted by how tall Dimitri had grown. The top of her head only met his chest and she had to strain her neck to look up at him.

“You… What must I do to get rid of you…? Why must _you_ join them as well…” He scrunched his face up as he spoke, clenching his fist by his side. “I will kill that woman, I swear it – she took everything from me, she took _you_. I’ll _fucking rip _her _pathetic head _from her_ disgusting neck, _just for you to stop looking at me like that!” Dimitri’s voice rose in pitch, hatred lacing his words.

Byleth’s eyes widened and she winced at the course language, she had heard such words before – she had travelled with mercenaries but to hear Dimitri say something so vulgar, with sch venom was outrageous.

“I-“ Byleth swallowed the lump in her throat, “Dimitri, look,” Byleth hesitantly took a step forward and placed her hand on his arm. “I’m not dead, and I need you to realise that. It’s okay – I’m right here and I’ll help you defeat Edel- ah!“ Byleth yelped as Dimitri grabbed her wrist, twisting it until her knees buckled and her body trembled. She swore she found feel the bones in her wrist crack from his inhuman strength.

“Don’t you _dare speak _that _vile_ woman’s name! You’re an imperial spy, aren’t you? Trying to use her to get to me. Did you betray me as well, was I not good enough for you, _professor?” _He wretched her up by his hold on her arm, so that they were face to face. “Answer the _fucking_ question.”

Byleth shook her head quickly, “No! No, of course not Dimitri! I came here for you, I-“ She whimpered out, cursing internally at the pain that throbbed all the way up her arm. She was terrified that he would snap it in half, she had seen him crush a man’s skull, her wrist would be like breaking a quill.

Dimitri faltered, his eye widening a fraction. He grunted and placed her down gently, glancing at his hand and then her arm. Byleth rubbed her arm gingerly, staring at the red marks now adorning her tan skin. She looked up at Dimitri and frowned softly. Although it hurt, she had seen a glimpse of the man he used to be through his eye.

“I’m just glad you’re alright… Have you been hiding here all these years?” Byleth asked softly, easing into the conversation with caution. She rose a single eyebrow, waiting for him to respond, even if it was just a grunt, that would suffice.

Dimitri shifted his gaze to hers, “Hmph. No – I merely returned here to rid this place of vermin. Why else would I return?” He scoffed and rolled his one eye, walking past her.

Although the way Dimitri had stated it was aggressive, it still made her smile that perhaps he had come back because of their promise, but it was hard to tell with Dimitri’s apparent mood swings. She followed him down the stairs, watching as he simply kicked the bodies that were in his way. He almost seemed gleeful when their bodies landed at the bottom, skulls landing against the concrete with a sickening crack. It was unnerving and down-right disturbing to see the crooked smile split the man’s face, it was nothing like the boyish grins he used to give her.

How long had he been by himself for? Why was he not with the others, especially his childhood friends? Surely Felix had tried to knock some sense into him. What of Dedue, he was always by Dimitri’s side and to not see the loyal retainer with him was unusual.

She wanted to ask him more questions, but she was unsure how he would react, yet she was stubborn, she had always been. Perhaps she had inherited that from her late mother. When Byleth had learnt that her mother was a priest she started to study reason and faith magic, so that she could be closer to the woman who gave her everything so that she could live. Yet she had always felt comfortable wielding a sword, it felt right in her calloused hands. Plus, Mercedes and Annette were their top healers, incredibly skill with both types of magic. However, another healer was always good in the army, no matter their proficiency and so she continued to learn.

“Are you okay? Are there any wounds that you have that are untreated?” She spoke up, quickening her step to walk just behind him. Byleth kept her eyes on his expression, although it was incredibly hard on his right side where his eye used to be. When he did not reply she continued, “I can heal them, I’m not that skilled in healing but if I can help…”

Dimitri shifted his head, ice-blue meeting seafoam-green. “I’m already dead, your words are wasted on me.”

Byleth frowned, shaking her head lightly. “Why would you say that…?” She questioned; voice soft.

“What exactly do you hope to gain from asking me questions? What about you, _professor_?” He mocked her title harshly, and Byleth wanted him to call her by her first name, rather than what she used to be. “You have the audacity to show up after five years and start asking _me _questions?” He scoffed and crossed his arms over his chest, causing the armour to shift and scrape together. “It doesn’t matter, there are far more pressing matters to attend to.”

Dimitri stopped and turned to face her; they had stopped in the middle of the Entrance Hall. Byleth wondered where exactly Dimitri wanted to go, the Cathedral? It made sense; she had often seen him in there when he was younger. Byleth did always feel peaceful when she went there to help with the Church’s choir, so maybe Dimitri did as well.

“Dimitri, if you have any questions for me – I am more than willing to answer them…”

He ignored her completely, the only sign that he had heard her was the sharp intake of air. “Don’t you smell them, filthy rats that scurry after anything that moves? Putrid thieves that crawl their way to treasure. Its disgusting…” He snorted, teeth shinning as he grinned. “Heh… Since the monastery fell, order in the area fell right along with it.” Dimitri looked at her, narrowing his one eye. “You must have seen the state of the town near Garreg Mach on your way here. Thieves run rampant. They pillage, loot to their hearts content.” He sneered, “_I must kill every last one of them._ It’s time to hunt down their nest.”

“You don’t have to kill them to stop them, we could capture them and use them for intel.” Byleth concurred, taking a step closer to him.

“They must die. Someone must put a stop to this cycle of the strong trampling the weak, or do you condone their actions. Do you believe that the pillaging and slaughtering those rats live for is justified?!” Dimitri paused and jerked his head close to hers, anger in his cold eye. “It is reprehensible, and they must be put down! I intend to give them a taste of pain they have inflicted on others!” He shifted his face away from hers, exhaling deeply, he touched the eyepatch gingerly. “Even if it means becoming a rat myself. I swore to at least do that much… I will not let them down…” He promised solemnly.

Byleth wanted to ask how he lost his eye, but she knew he would most likely lash out at her. Speaking to him gently seemed to help the situation but his mind was incredibly unbalanced and when he spoke of his family, he grew colder, closed off. She would have to ask him more personal questions when he was ready.

“I will help you, but how many thieves are there exactly? We’re strong, but there’s only two of us.”

“It does not matter, the only thing that does it killing those who deserve to die. I do not need _your_ help; you _will_ kill, and you’ll Leave. Me. Alone. _Understood_?”

Byleth sighed and nodded, “Yes of course.” She murmured, watching as he scrunched his nose up at her before turning and walking away.

The woman grimaced, digging her teeth into her bottom lip until the flesh tore and she tasted copper. _Dammit, _she’d developed a habit again, one she often did whenever she was anxious. If she was incredibly worried, her hands would shake, and her legs wobbled. It didn’t happen often, when she was a child it would happen all the time. However, as she grew up, they frequented less, it wasn’t until her father died that it started returning. Dimitri had been the one to help her, he seemed to notice everything about her, or _he used to. _Dimitri had told her that he picked at his nails when he was overthinking, that was why he wore gloves every chance he got – it stopped him from attacking the newly healed skin. She had loved confiding in Dimitri, telling him things that only Sothis new because she was in her brain and Dimitri never turned her away, he had slowly opened up and told her things that not even Dedue knew.

She felt her chest ache, she did not like this side of Dimitri, it was _cold, angry, doubtful, menacing and violent. _Byleth squeezed her hands into fists, feeling her nails prick the calloused skin. She wished she’d done more to contain the darkness that was in him, she wished she’d saved him before the war. However wishful thinking got her no where and she would make it her mission to save him now.

Byleth would save Dimitri, even if it costed her _everything. _With that thought giving her strength, she followed after him.


	3. Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A voice from her left startled her and she whipped around to attack, only to be pleasantly surprised by what she found instead. 
> 
> Mercedes’ bright blue eyes widened and glisten as she smiled widely. “Oh my! Professor, its so good to see you, I’m so glad you’re alive!” Her gentle tone brought tears to Byleth’s own eyes. “Annie, look, it’s our darling teacher.”

The rain had returned and Byleth wondered if the weather had decided to reflect how she was feeling. Perhaps it really had, when she woke up, she was alone and tired, it was horrible, hence the rain. When she had found Dimitri a slighter of sunlight had appeared, she had felt such joy and relief in that moment and then Byleth was hit with the harsh reality that Dimitri wasn’t the same person he used to be. Now its back to thunder, rain and the dark gloomy clouds that make Byleth want to sob. She had followed Dimitri out of the Monastery, the two of them had made it to the outskirts where villages used to be before the war. Now the entire place had been decimated and thieves roamed the area. Byleth scrunched her nose at the smell, it was horrible and maybe that was what Dimitri had been talking about.

Dimitri stood beside her, he was a giant and radiated power, it still shocked her. His hand gripped his spear, the metal clanking by his side. Byleth looked up at him, his mess of blonde hair obscuring his vision, and she had the urge to brush it away from his eye – which was a horrible idea because he would most likely break her arm. Yet, she had to do something, and she’d rather him yell at her than fall in battle. Cautiously, she reached up and brushed the cursed strands away from his left eye and tucking them behind his ear. She almost swallowed her tongue when Dimitri grabbed her wrist, his eye met her pair and he pressed his thumb against her palm. The pressure was soothing and warm, Byleth wanted to hold his hand and never let go.

She panicked at her thoughts, skin flushing red and tugged her hand roughly away, moving away from Dimitri with a small ‘I’m sorry…”

Dimitri stared at her and for a split second his eyes drifted to her hand, almost longingly. He wrinkled his nose, “It smells of blood and sewage. Seems I’ve found their nest.” It was more to himself than Byleth, but he continued, “Shall we go rat hunting? Don’t let single vermin escape and remember, stay out of my way.”

Byleth nodded and watched as he charged ahead, luring the thieves towards him. Byleth watched the path split into streets and decided to take the lower route, strategically this would corner them if Dimitri continued moving up.

She unsheathed The Sword of The Creator and ran down the path, she felt rusty, but five years does take a toll on ones’ body. She tightened her grip on the hilt and ran towards one of the thieves at full speed, dodging his axe as he sung it above his head. Perfectly leaving his torso wide open, she sliced through his stomach, scarlet splattering her vision and the man’s body slumping to the ground. She forgot what it was like to take a life, it was painful and even if she had gotten used to it, it still made her feel guilty. She trudged on, glancing back every few seconds to check up on Dimitri and see how he was faring. She wanted to stay by his side, but he had ordered her not to more than once and she didn’t want to cause damage to their slowly healing friendship. She cut down another, an archer who was too slow to notch his arrow – she saw the panic in his hazel eyes as the last thing he saw was hair the colour of starlight and glowing blade.

A voice from her left startled her and she whipped around to attack, only to be pleasantly surprised by what she found instead.

Mercedes’ bright blue eyes widened and glisten as she smiled widely. “Oh my! Professor, its so good to see you, I’m so glad you’re alive!” Her gentle tone brought tears to Byleth’s own eyes. “Annie, look, it’s our darling teacher.”

Byleth shifted her gaze to the young woman standing behind Mercedes, orange locks now long and coiling around her shoulders. A warm smile spread across her lips, freckles dancing across her skin. “Byleth! Oh, my goddesses! I’m glad you’re okay!” Her ocean eyes shone with tears as they slipped from the corners.

Byleth chocked on a sob and ran over to her students, she didn’t care about the battle right now, seeing Mercedes and Annette made her incredibly happy. She embraced Mercedes and Annette, hugging them close as tears fell from all the women’s eyes. Her students returned her hug, squeezing each other.

“I’m so glad you’re both alright, Merce, Annie – and you’ve grown so much… I’m so happy to see you – I know Dimitri will be as well…” Byleth replied.

Mercedes and Annette really had changed a lot, especially Annette. Mercedes had cut her hair; her pale hair was shaped into a bob and framed her face beautifully. Annette had shot up; she was still short but was almost as tall as Byleth. Byleth briefly wondered if she should cut her hair as well, it was far too long for her liking and the ends were split. Plus, it was now covered in dirt and blood – hopefully the rain will wash it off.

Both students gasped and covered their mouths, sharing a look. “High Highness is here?” Annette asked, raising her eyebrows.

Byleth furrowed her brow, _His Highness? _“Mm, yes… Dimitri is on the other side but he’s here…”

Mercedes sighed softly in relief, “Thank goodness, I’m so glad you’re both all right… Dimitri was so stricken when you sudden- oh!” She giggled. “We’re in the middle of a battle, we can continue our discussion later professo-“

Byleth interrupted her student, “-Byleth. Please, call me by my first name, I’m not your teacher anymore.”

Byleth’s former students smiled and nodded in agreement, and the three were thrown into battle. The three of them stuck together, Annette would fire sagittate and Excalibur at the enemies and Byleth would come in for the finishing blow. Mercedes helped with her own reason magic, but she focused on healing the two whenever an enemy nicked them with their weapon. They met up with Dimitri who finished killing another thief, he was joined by two others – Gilbert, Annette’s father who hadn’t changed one bit and a handsome young man with sliver hair and piercing green eyes.

“Ashe?!” Byleth exclaimed and was met with a warm smile and a tight hug from the man. Ashe had grown much taller, nearly a half a head taller.

“Professor, you’re alive. Its so good to see you.” He replied, pulling away to look at her. “You haven’t changed one bit.”

She scoffed gently, wiping the tears that started to form in her eyes, “It’s good to see you as well and please, Ashe – call me Byleth.”

Ashe nodded and glanced behind her to see Mercedes and Annette; he gave Byleth one last squeeze before walking over to the two girls – quickly greeting them. Byleth prayed to Sothis that the rest of her class would return here as well. She missed them.

Dimitri scrunched his face up, “I don’t understand… Why are they all here…?” He hissed under his breath, shaking his head, he couldn’t believe it. “Tch, we don’t have time for this. We need to kill off their pathetic leader before more rats decide to join in on the fun.”

Byleth nodded, “You’re right, we can talk after the-“ Byleth paused as a shrill neigh pierced her ears, the sound followed by another. She tore her eyes away from Dimitri and searched the area fiercely, eyes darting about.

“_Professor! _By the heavens above, is that really you?!” A feminine voice called, Byleth’s eyes locked onto a blonde woman riding a Pegasus, one hand gripping the rein, the other a lance. She was followed by a cavalier with bright red hair, sitting behind the redhead was a man with dark blue hair tied up – he didn’t look all too thrilled to be on the horse.

Byleth swore her heart fluttered in her chest as she realised it was Sylvain, Ingrid and Felix rushing to meet them. Dedue was not with them but she was glad more of her students had come to meet them. She felt her eyes throb as tears formed again. She just couldn’t stop crying.

Byleth rushed forward, arms stretched wide as Ingrid slid off her Pegasus to hug her professor. The blonde-haired woman’s shoulders trembled as she started to cry as well, a sharp intake of air alerted Byleth of this and she pulled away and grasp her student’s shoulders.

“I’m so happy you’re okay, Ingrid… You’ve grown so much!” Byleth laughed lightly, digging her teeth into her lip to stop herself from sobbing.

Ingrid had grown taller, just like the rest of her students, her long blonde hair was now tied up into a bun – giving her a mature look. She appeared muscular, stronger and seemed much more confident in herself.

“Iggy-darling, you’re hogging our professor all to yourself.” A smooth voice called from behind the two girls.

Ingrid groaned and rolled her eyes, “Don’t call me that you great big oaf!” she snapped, wiping her emerald eyes to rid them of tears.

Byleth looked over Ingrid’s shoulder, watching as Sylvain unmounted his horse and reached up to help Felix who smacked his hand away with a “I can do it my fucking self, you dumbass.” And somehow slide off the horse. Albeit ungracefully.

Byleth smiled up at Sylvain, who returned it with a flirtatious grin, “Hey sweetheart, its good to see you.”

Byleth snorted, the tears continuing to fall and replied with a hug, that was returned. “Yeah, its good to see you too, Sylvain.”

Felix cleared his throat, arms crossed over his chest as he gave Byleth a small smile. Byleth pulled away from Sylvain quickly to embrace Felix instead. The stoic man grunted and glanced down at the woman who was squeezing his middle. He hesitated for a moment, feeling warmth across his face, before placing his hands on her back. Felix pulled away first, giving her a curt nod before walking over to where the rest of the group was to greet them.

Once the group had finally reunited, they set off to attack Pallardo, the leader of the thieves. Even after five years they still protected each other and knew each other’s blind spots. Although Dimitri still paid no attention to her orders and Byleth didn’t try to persuade him. They worked together to finish off the remaining thieves that could help the leader escape if Byleth’s plan failed. With Byleth’s strategic thinking they had cornered Pallardo from all four sides. Ashe fired two arrows and Ingrid finished the thief leader off with her lance. They had won and done so without any casualties.

***

Byleth stood beside Dimitri as the rest of the group crowded around the two of them. It was wonderful to see everyone together, like it used to be. Byleth felt nostalgic at the thought.

Ingrid spoke up first, “Your Highness! Prof-Byleth! It’s great to see you both again...”

Dimitri furrowed his brow, “Why are you all here?” he grunted.

“We made a promise… Five years ago on this exact day, did you forget? Ashe replied.

Mercedes hummed gently as she agreed, “Dimitri, weren’t you the one who asked that we all meet up here?”

Annette pursed her lips as she spoke, the pout apparent in her voice. “Don’t be silly! Of course, you remember our promise. That’s why you and Byleth are here, right?”

“Your Highness… I have been following news of your whereabouts for a while now. I am relieved to have finally found you.” Gilbert said, bowing deeply.

Dimitri sneered, “Stop calling me that. It makes me sick; I am no prince. I am but a walking corpse.”

Byleth frowned, she hated hearing Dimitri think so little of himself. “Dimi, why would you say that?” She asked, using his nickname.

Gilbert was the one to answer instead, “That is what we believed, but it is not so. I can see with my own eyes that you are alive, Your Highness.” Gilbert’s jaw clenched, “But the jail cells in Fhirdiad are solid as they come. How did you manage to…”

Dimitri’s shoulders sagged, “Dedue…” He whispered; remorse evident in his tone.

Byleth swore she saw tears glisten in the prince’s eye and she wanted to embrace him – share the heavy burdens and regret he faced each and every day. “What happened?” She offered, perhaps him voicing his internal struggle would lighten the load.

“He’s dead. He died in my place.” He answered.

His response was met with silence, and Byleth watched as her students looked away or covered their mouths to stop themselves from crying. She felt the same.

“I see. We will be sure to honour his loyalty, Your Highness.” Gilbert spoke. “As for the state of the Kingdom, the lords from the western regions have declared their fealty to the Empire, starting with House Rowe. Cornelia’s band of traitors ow refers to Kingdom territory as the Faerghus Dukedom. They’ve made Fhirdiad their stronghold as they continue to invade the eastern region.

Sylvain huffed and rubbed his chin thoughtfully, “Well, it’s not like all the Kingdom’s lords have sided with the Empire. There are plenty of houses, like mine or Felix’s, that remain stubbornly opposed.”

Byleth’s mind spun with names she had never heard of before; she raised a slender brow as she asked “Cornelia?”

Gilbert bobbed his head, “There is much to discuss, we will talk later.” He bowed towards Dimitri, “Your Highness, please allow us to take up arms at your side once more. What we need more than anything isn’t soldiers, money, or supplies. We need the legitimate heir of Faerghus to overthrow the Empire and reclaim the Kingdom! Such is your duty. It is yours alone to bear and well worth fighting for. Only you can gather our troops and lead us back into the light.”

Byleth placed a reassuring hand on Dimitri’s arm, “You’re still needed Dimitri.”

Dimitri smirked, “I see. So, you agree that we should fight back. And you see how that woman... How the entire Empire cannot be forgiven. That we must wipe them all out until not a single one remains…”

Annette grimaced and laughed nervously, “Wipe them all out? Umm… Yeah, I don’t think any of us here are suggesting anything that extreme…”

Dimitri scoffed, “Hmph. If that is all then I am not needed here.” He turned and walked away first, making his way to the entrance of the monastery.

Byleth wanted to chase after him but was stopped by Gilbert. “Professor, I’d like to have a word with you…”

The former teacher sighed softly and nodded, walking beside him as they made their way to the Knights’ Hall.

***

“To think you survived under all that rubble for the past five years… I suppose stranger things have happened. Odd as that is to admit.” Gilbert murmured and Byleth felt incredibly tired after being questioned for what seemed like a lifetime. “There is still much I would like to ask you… But I think that’s enough for now.”

Byleth pursed her lips, perhaps she could ask a question of her own. “What happened to Rhea and the Knights of Serios?”

“On that day five years ago, during the battle with the Imperial army, Lady Rhea went missing. Since then, the Knights of Serios have continued searching for her and… for you. I hear they have yet to find any promising leads. As the Empire has yet to release a statement, its hard to imagine that she has perished. And yet… Ah, never mind.”

“I don’t believe Rhea is dead, she’s incredibly strong and they must have a reason for keeping her.” Byleth replied, crossing her arms under her chest.

Gilbert nodded, “That is one likely theory… Hm, once news of your survival gets out, everyone will flock back to the monastery.”

“What happened to the Kingdom and who is this Cornelia?”

A deep sigh came from the man. “After that battle, a certain incident took place in Fhirdiad. Rufus, who was serving as king regent, was murdered. I was once a knight in service of the royal family… I resigned from the Knights of Serios and returned to serve the Kingdom. However, Cornelia had claimed that His Highness had killed Rufus and so Prince Dimitri was sentenced to death. With His Highness’s death, the royal bloodline of House Blaiddyd was erased from this world. We watched as Cornelia tore the Kingdom apart before our very eyes.

Both the execution and Prince Dimitri’s corpse were concealed to the public, there have always been those that believed he was still alive… As for myself, I only began to hope three years ago when I chanced upon some compelling rumours…”

Byleth inhaled deeply, she felt incredibly guilty that she had not been there to help. Perhaps if she had, Dimitri would be ruling the kingdom and not some floozy. “What rumours?” She asked, hoping to know as much as she can about what happened.

“An Imperial platoon attacked without warning. Incident after incident of Imperial generals being slaughtered in Kingdom territory. It is said that they each died in such a brutal, gruesome way that… It is hard to imagine that they were killed by human hands. I followed the rumours location to location. Eventually, I had seen enough. I knew the rumours to be true” Gilbert smiled however it was a tired one and it made the creases on his face deepen “Finally, after a half decade of torment, it happened. I found him… I fear his deep hatred, and the weight of his solitude, have consumed him for far too long…

We must bring him back from the edge on which he stands. To that end, I must speak with His Highness. I imagine it will not be an easy nor quick conversation. But it must be done.”

“I will help in any way that I can, I was Dimitri’s professor, but I will always be his friend. I made a vow that I will save him, and I will do just that…” Her eyes drifted to the floor, “… I sense his darkness when I first met him, perhaps if I had been wiser, I could have saved him earlier.”

“No. I fear this was meant to happen… It cannot be changed.”

Byleth raised her eyes to Gilberts, “Thank you for this discussion… I may retire early, today has been quite eventful.” She said with a gentle smile, she quickly said her goodbyes and left the room.

She had been asleep for five years and now she was going back to sleep. She shook her head, perhaps Sothis’ sleepy mood had rubbed off on her. Her mind was a buzz, but she needed to rest, she would challenge the world tomorrow.

With that in mind, she made her way to her old room. Ready to sleep her troubles away.


	4. Knights of Serios

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seteth sighed, “Even so, nothing slips past the emperor. It is safe to assume she at least has this place under surveillance.” 
> 
> Byleth quickly glanced at Dimitri who stiffened beside her at the mention of Edelgard. Her hand twitched to reach for the prince’s, but she knew it wouldn’t end well, so she moved it clasp her other hand.

Mercedes, Annette and Ingrid stood in front of their seated teacher. All four women dressed in more casual outfits than their battle gear. Byleth was wearing a one-size to big white shirt that was tucked into her black shorts and stockings. Instead of her smaller battle boots, she wore thigh high ones that were made of leather. Quite expensive but her father had gifted them to her on her 21st birthday. Mercedes wore a cream and lace dress that covered her fully, she was a priest now and she had to appear modest. Byleth was unsure what Annette was wearing under her large fluffy coat made of animal fur, but it appeared to be a pale blue dress. The young woman’s hair was braided and rested on her left shoulder. Ingrid had just come from training with Felix and so she wore a loose shirt that was tucked into her thick leggings and simple black flats. Her long blond hair was tied up into a ponytail.

“Are you sure you want to do this Byleth?” Annette spoke up and twirled a strand of her mint coloured hair. “Your hair is so long and pretty, why would you want to cut it short?”

Byleth gave her former students a small smile. “It’s getting too long and I’d rather it short, so I don’t have to worry about it getting caught in battle.” Byleth chewed on the inside of her cheek. “Besides, I’ve been wanting it short for a while...”

Ingrid hummed, “Mm, that makes sense. It’ll still look really nice short too.”

Mercedes nodded and grabbed the scissors and hairbrush off Byleth’s desk. “Okay then, Annie dear could you please hold the mirror up for me? Oh, and Ingrid sweetie could you please pass me that towel over- heheh, thank you.” She smiled as Ingrid handed Mercedes the towel, the priest placed the towel over Byleth’s shoulders to catch the falling hair.

Annette stood in front of Byleth and held up the hand mirror as Mercedes began to brush her former teacher’s hair. “How short do you want it to be?” Mercedes asked,

Byleth’s face scrunched up in thought before she gestured to her shoulder. “Just above it, please.”

“As you wish.” Mercedes replied, her melodic voice was always soothing and made Byleth feel relaxed.

Ingrid sat down on Byleth’s bed, slipping her shoes off so that she could bring her feet up as well. “I’m glad you’re here, pro-Byleth.” Ingrid corrected with a soft blush, “I know that we all appreciate it.”

Annette grinned, “Yes, it feels like old times- oh… Well of course somethings are different…” She trailed off as her lips formed a deep frown, matching the furrow of her brow.

Mercedes sighed softly, as she started to snip away at Byleth’s hair. “That is true, so much has happened in five years. You missed out on quite a bit, Byleth.”

Byleth wanted to nod but with Mercedes’ cutting her hair, she decided against it. “What… What exactly happened when I vanished? Merce you started to talk about it when we were in battle…” Byleth couldn’t see Ingrid nor Mercedes’ faces but she could tell that they had shared a look with Annette who was standing in front of her.

“We searched everywhere for you; Dimitri had ordered us too… He was even more bloodthirsty, cutting down all those that were in his way. He was screaming your name for hours… It’s the first time I’ve seen him cry.” Annette answered her instead.

Byleth felt a sickening feeling spread from her chest to her stomach, guilt making her shoulders sag. She had caused even more damage to Dimitri’s health because of her disappearance. Byleth exhaled shakily as she tried to stop herself from crying, somehow all she did was make things worse.

“I know its not my say but… Byleth – I really think you’ll be the one to save His Highness…” Ingrid said and chewed on her bottom lip, stopping herself from continuing when she saw Byleth’s shoulders start to tremble.

Mercedes continued to cut away at her professor’s hair, levelling out the strands so that they were even on both sides. “I agree with Ingrid, Dimitri always seemed so happy when he was with you. You have such a trustworthy aura about you and I’m sure he appreciates you trying so hard to talk to him.”

Byleth shook her head quickly, “He cares about you all as well! He was always so happy during class… Every one of you should try to talk to him too… Even if he pushes you away.” She rubbed at her eyes, glad that she couldn’t feel any tears.

Annette giggled and smirked, “Yes, we know but… We mean you make Dimitri happier in a different way.”

Byleth blinked owlishly and lifted her head to stare at Annette in confusion, her head felt much lighter now that her hair had been cut off. “What do you mean?” She asked.

Annette shrugged, “You’ll have to figure that one on your own professor!” Byleth huffed lightly in response.

Mercedes laughed gently and placed the hairbrush and scissors on the desk. She walked around and gasped, cupping her face between her palms. “Byleth! You look beautiful!” Annette nodded her head in agreement.

Ingrid slid off the bed and slipped her shoes back on and walked over to stand besides Annette, she smiled. “Wow, professor, you look so pretty with short hair, it really suits you.”

Byleth blushed at the compliments and looked at her reflection in the mirror, her eyes widened at the sight. She did look rather pretty, her mint locks sat just above her shoulders and swayed with each movement she made. It suited her and shaped her face wonderfully, perhaps she looked more like her mother. Her father had said that her mother always had her hair short or tied back. Her mothers’ name was Freya and Jeralt always stated that she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. It was quite adorable, but her father carried on quite a bit in his journals and even she agreed with Sothis’ whining for her to stop reading.

“Thank you, its exactly how I pictured it.” She stated, giving the three girls a big smile.

A swift at her bedroom door made the women jump at the unexpected sound, “Yes, you can come in.” Byleth replied.

The door opened and a head of red poked through the gap, “There you lovely ladies ar- oh!” Sylvain grinned and stepped into the room, he whistled at Byleth. “Professor you’re looking gorgeous, the hair style is quite cute.” He winked as he finished and quickly dodged the punch that Ingrid threw his way.

Byleth laughed and felt her skin flush a darker red, she couldn’t remember the last time she had received such compliments about her looks- ah yes… _Dimitri _had.

Ingrid stuck her nose up at Sylvain with her hands on her hips, “Stop flirting and tell us why you interrupted our free time!”

Sylvain blinked and snapped his fingers, “Oh yeah! The Knights of Serios have returned!”

Annette clapped her hands together in excitement, “That’s wonderful news! Let’s go meet them!’

***

Byleth walked with Ingrid, Sylvain, Mercedes and Annette to the Entrance Hall, from where she was, she could see Ashe and Cyril conversing, both looking exceptionally excited to see each other after so long. Gilbert and Seteth were talking while Catherine and Shamir were with Felix, discussing their great wins against the Empire. Other Knights of Serios watched them happily, talking with each other as well. Dimitri was nowhere to be seen and Flayn was shifting her weight a she looked around impatiently. When Byleth walked closer she smiled when Flayn noticed her immediately and let out an inhuman squeal as she ran towards her, arms flying about.

“Professor! You’re here! You’re really here!!” She exclaimed, quickening her pace as she collided with Byleth’s body, her face pressed into the taller woman’s chest as she embraced her. Byleth quickly returned it, chuckling as her smile softened.

“Yes, I’m here Flayn. It’s good to see you too.” Byleth replied, pulling away to wipe the green-haired girl’s doe-like eyes.

Flayn giggled, “My brother and I were so worried about you! Especially Seteth, he couldn’t stop muttering ‘We must save Byleth and Lady Rhea!” She deepened her voice, furrowing her brow deeply to impersonate the man.

“_Flayn!”_ Seteth hissed, his pale skin flushed red. He, with the rest of the group walked over to where Byleth was.

“I’m glad so many people care about me.” Byleth snickered, “Its good to see you Seteth, I’m glad you’re alright.”

Byleth swore the man became even more flustered, which resulted in Flayn giggling louder. Byleth’s attention shifted to the tall caramel-skinned man, sunset orange meeting her seafoam green. She couldn’t believe this was Cyril, he had shot up just like Ashe, his jaw sharper and eyes narrower. Yet his expression was still gentle when he returned her gaze.

“Hello professor, its good to have you back, everyone was so worried about you.” Cyril stated.

She returned the smile and yelped when Catherine bumped her shoulder with her own. “We’ve been looking for you everywhere and you appear here before us!” She rolled her eyes, but her happy mood quickly soured as she sighed deeply. “But I see Lady Rhea isn’t with you… Damn.”

Byleth shook her head, “No, I haven’t seen her since the battle…”

Shamir hummed, “At least you have returned to us.”

A Knight of Serios spoke up, “Gilbert told us everything. We are at your disposal!” He bowed deeply, followed by the other knights.

Gilbert nodded, “It does my heart well to see that all of you are safe. Now that we have all gathered, let’s discuss our next course of action. I’ll retrieve His Highness and meet you in the Knight’s Hall.”

***

Byleth stood with her students, Gilbert, Seteth and Catherine in the Knight’s hall. Shamir and Cyril had gone with the other knights to start repairing the damage that had been inflicted on the monastery. =

“We have to objectives… To overthrow the Empire and rescue Lady Rhea.” Seteth stated as he crossed his arms over his chest. “I have no objections to joining forces with you. After all, our interests are aligned.”

Gilbert stood on the right side of Dimitri and bowed, showing his gratitude. “Nothing could be more reassuring than securing the cooperation of the Knights of Serios.”

Byleth agreed wholeheartedly, the Knights of Serios were capable warriors and to have such strong warriors on their side was a blessing. Byleth had wound up standing on Dimitri’s left and she didn’t know how he always managed to lure her to his side. She always found herself there.

“Thank you for joining us.” She replied.

“The archbishop entrusted all of her affairs to you. From now on, I shall comply with your wishes.” Seteth responded and Byleth had forgotten that she would be the new archbishop. She didn’t understand why Rhea had chosen her instead of Seteth but perhaps Rhea had sense something within her.

Gilbert spoke, “We’ll make Garreg Mach our base and prepare to make our stand against the Empire. There is a fair amount of damage, but we will at least be sheltered from the weather.”

Catherine ran her armoured fingers through her blonde locks, “Surely those Imperial assholes have this place staked out, right? It’s a highly strategic location.”

“While it may be a strategic location, it is too far from the front lines to be worthy of notice now. This area is inconvenient as far as transport time is concerned, so it’s of little importance to their war effort.”

Seteth sighed, “Even so, nothing slips past the emperor. It is safe to assume she at least has this place under surveillance.”

Byleth quickly glanced at Dimitri who stiffened beside her at the mention of _Edelgard. _Her hand twitched to reach for the prince’s, but she knew it wouldn’t end well, so she moved it clasp her other hand.

Gilbert looked towards her, as did the rest of the group, “Professor, what do you think about making his place our base?”

She flickered her eyes to Dimitri once more before looking back at Gilbert. “I have no objections; it will help us in the long run.”

Gilbert agreed with her, “Fortunately there are still villages and hamlets nearby, and though I wouldn’t call them abundant – we have war funds as well.” He turned his attention to Dimitri, “What do you think, Your Highness?”

Dimitri sneered, “Do as you please.”

Annette huffed, her hands on her hips. “Hey! Don’t act like this doesn’t concern you! We finally reunited after all this time… We’ve got to work together!”

Sylvain nodded, “She’s right. In fact, why don’t we join forces and clean this place up a bit? I’m sure Shamir and Cyril have almost finished checking out the place.”

Annette’s eyes shined with excitement, “Ooh yeah! That’s a great idea! It’ll give us time to reminisce about the good old days at the academy. I can’t wait!”

“How _carefree_ of you.” Dimitri scorned, the dip in his brow deepening and Byleth worried at her bottom lip. She didn’t want to tell her former students to stop talking about cleaning the monastery, but she especially didn’t want Dimitri lashing out.

Ashe grimaced and gulped before he spoke, his voice cracking. “It may sound trivial… But- well I think it’s a good idea…”

Gilbert seemed to sense what Byleth was thinking, “I understand feeling impatient Your Highness. However, patience is key at a time like this. If we fix up our base, it will improve morale, which we will sorely needed as we –“

“— You’re all such fools…” Dimitri interrupted.

Byleth knew she had to try and say something to ease the tension in the room. “Let’s just settle down so that we can continue discu–“

“— _Stay out of this_, you have no say here.” Dimitri shifted his attention to her, striking eye nearly piercing her resolve.

Byleth blanched, they hadn’t argued since the day she had returned and now she had destroyed what little progressed they had made. “Dimitri… We’re not your enemy, we want to help you, I want to-“

“My enemies say the same.” He retorted back, jaw clenching as he pushed past the others to leave the room.

Felix’s eyes followed Dimitri as the prince left. “What happened to him? It’s like he’s a completely different person.”

Mercedes glimpsed at Byleth’s expression and frowned, “I feel so bad for him… Would it help if I brewed him a nice pot of tea?” She offered.

“I cannot claim to understand how he feels… However, the way he’s behaving – its as though he’s being haunted by some unseen force.” Gilbert suggested, looking towards Byleth with a grim expression.

Byleth sucked in her bottom lip, gods she knew why he was like this. It was understandable why; she couldn’t believe that he hadn’t broken sooner... He was so incredibly brave and such a kind person that it broke her heart to see him like this.

Byleth lifted her head, determination in her glistening eyes, “I’m so worried about him… I’m going to try and talk to him – we need Dimitri but… He’s not in the right state of mind to fight – I’m just – I don’t want to- I- I don’t-“

“- Byleth, _relax _and take a deep breath in, okay?” Mercedes urged sweetly, her hands gripping the younger woman’s shoulders gingerly.

Byleth’s eyes widened and she nodded, she took a deep breath in and held it until Mercedes told her to release it.

Ingrid placed a reassuring hand on her former professor’s shoulder as well, “You can do it, we all believe in you.”

Byleth exhaled shakily and looked at her students, meeting encouraging smiles. Byleth clenched her fists tightly and left her students, she would do her best to speak with Dimitri.


	5. Argument

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Byleth snorted, “It probably makes me look dashing?”
> 
> A soft bark of laughter left Mercedes and she covered her mouth with a soft snicker, “Yes, indubitably – careful Byleth, you could steal many hearts.”

Byleth had entered the cathedral and as soon as she saw Dimitri pacing up and down; clearly having a discussion with those that she could not see – she sat down in one of the pews at the back. Byleth was glad that guards hadn’t been properly stationed yet, otherwise they would most likely cause a scene. She watched and waited until she was sure he had finish speaking with those he felt he had disappointed and didn’t want to interrupt their conversation. He was already in a horrible mood; she’d rather not ruin it further. When she saw him take a seat on the front pew, face resting in the palms of his hands, she stood up and slowly walked towards him. She stopped just as she made it to the first pew and observed him carefully.

“You’re wrong…” Dimitri muttered, shaking his head as he lifted it up to stare at whoever was speaking to him. “It’s not like that, Glenn. I swear it. Any love I had for my stepsister… has been tossed aside. Only hatred remains. If I could tear that woman to shreds right away at this moment, I would.”

_Ah… Glenn, Ingrid’s fiancé… Of course. _

“I don’t care if she’s the emperor. Its no different than killing anyone else. So, I beg you… All of you… Do not worry about my resolve.” Dimitri shuddered, gripping at the armour that covered his biceps. “Please… Father – _I’m sorry_… Stepmother, do not gaze at me with that look in your eyes… I will bring her head soon and when I do… You may finally rest in peace – I know it… I know it will…”

_Lambert and Patricia…_

Byleth moved closer and sat on the same pew, focused on the way Dimitri tensed and jerked his head to look at her.

She gave him a soft smile and a small wave, “Hello Dima, what did your family say?” She asked, watching as his one eye widened to stare at her in disbelief.

After gaining his senses he turned away, tightening the grip on his arms until the metal began to dent. “_What do you want?” _He snapped.

_Strike 1._

“I was worried about you and decided to see how you were doing. Is that a problem?”

Dimitri snorted, “I don’t care.”

“_Okay_, then. I’ll stay right here.” She declared, clasping her hands together in her lap.

“I _told _you, to _leave me alone_.”

_Strike 2._

Byleth hummed, shrugging her shoulders, causing her now short locks to bounce. “I know but I care far too much about you.”

“Five years must have made you incompetent, professor - you can’t even follow a simple fucking order!” Dimitri barked at her, jolting up right and leaving her on the pew.

_Strike 3._

Byleth felt exasperated, yet she had to supress that anger, _he didn’t mean it. He’s just upset, you should apologise. _

She took a deep breath in and exhaled as she stood up. “I know, and I’m sorry but I hate seeing you like this – I want to help you.” She admitted, she probably sounded utterly pathetic to the prince but his opinion of her wasn’t exactly high to begin with. Especially not after this whole conversation, some how she had made it worse, _again. _

“_Bullshit._ Stop producing lies already—”

Byleth gripped his shoulders, digging her thumbs into the armour as she pleaded, “—Dimitri hate me all you want but we need your help, all of us will help you defeat Edelgard – just, please… Trust me, just this once…”

Dimitri exhaled through his nose sharply and pushed her away with ease, watching as she stumbled back before catching herself just before she fell over. It seemed he had finally agreed with her words. “We should make haste and prepare to move at once, I must kill her as soon as possible…”

She groaned softly and shook her head; she had thought wrong. “We can’t be rash about this – we hav –”

“—I don’t have time to leisurely set up camp like the rest of you fools!” He yelled, pushing past her to exit the cathedral.

Byleth huffed and chased after him, grasping his wrist to stop him from leaving. She had ruined everything again by opening her big fat mouth. She wondered if Gilbert was able to knock more sense into him.

_You’re out._

All that Byleth registered was the intense pain on the left side of her face and the resonating _smack! _throughout the cathedral – the sound bouncing off the walls and echoing. The power behind the action had caused her to stumble back and she desperately clutched at her cheek. The action had caused her head to jerk to the right. She lifted her gaze to Dimitri’s, only to meet his wide eye and a look of disbelief and anger clashing together, she glanced at the open palm that was still extended and she realised: _Dimitri had slapped her_. Tears pricked the corner of her eyes and felt wetness on her skin, not just tears but most likely blood due to how numb her cheek felt. _It hurt a lot. _Not just physically, but emotionally and mentally. Dimitri had never hurt her in such a way, yes, he had almost broken her arm and he did throw verbal abuse her way but never _this. _

She wanted to cry, scream, break something, yell, throw a hissy fit! Anything to stop herself from feeling such heart ache. Yet Byleth Eisner is a strong and determined young woman and so she gave the blonde man a wobbly smile as tears finally fell, causing the open wounds on her cheek to sting. She had brought this upon herself, Dimitri had pushed her away and she took it too far. She just didn’t know when to quit.

“I-I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to… you’re right… We should make prepare to attack the Empire…” Her voice cracked and she swallowed the sob that wanted to spill from her throat. 

Dimitri scrunched up his face at her reply and clenched the open palm that he had used to slap her. “_Stop it.”_ He muttered, shaking his head fiercely.

Byleth blinked owlishly, what did he want her to stop? She watched as the man’s shoulder’s shook and she couldn’t help but gape at the glisten in his ice blue eye.

“I don’t understand… I can’t understand… Why are you –“ His voice broke as he dragged his armoured hand through his blonde locks. “—being so nice to me…? I don’t deserve your kindness… I don’t… I’m nothing but a monster…” He glimpsed at her, and Byleth wanted nothing more than to embrace him and hide him from the world. “S_top it.” _And with that, he left, the sound of the doors being slammed shut resounded through the cathedral.

“_Dimitri…”_

Byleth was met with silence. Yet, it was soon filled by the sound of her breath quickening as she struggled to breathe and cried out apologies that fell on deaf ears. “_Fuck.” _She cursed and she swore Sothis agreed with her.

***

Byleth doesn’t know how long she’s been sitting in the cathedral for, but she does know that the sun is setting, the tears on her face have dried and the pain on her cheek has subsided. Will it leave a bruise? Most likely. She wonders how bad the mark is on her face, it must have for Dimitri to tell her something that wasn’t malicious. It was progress, in a turnabout way but at least she had gotten him to open up, even if it was a fraction. He’s not the same person and she knows this, but he is still a genuinely kind person, he’s just blinded with revenge and Byleth understands that. She really does, she had wanted nothing more than to pull Kronya apart when she had killed her father. Even when Byleth had tried to reverse time, it still didn’t work – it had been fate, and Byleth couldn’t change her father’s.

The cathedral doors opening knocked Byleth from her thoughts and she jolted up to stand from the pew, turning around to face whoever had entered. A head of silver entered, and she wiped her eyes quickly to greet Ashe.

The boy looked flushed and exhausted; had he been running all over the Monastery looking for her? Ashe was puffed up, he looked ecstatic when he saw her and ran over to her. His loud footsteps ruined the silence and stopped just in front of her, placing a hand on the pew to catch his breath.

Byleth chuckled, she had to appear happy – for her students. “Are you alright, Ashe? You look like you’ve ran a marathon!”

Ashe lifted his head and panted softly, coughing to clear his throat before he stood up straight. “Y-Yes! Yes, I’m fine! But the Imperial army is on their way right now, Gilbert told me come get you! We have to plan how we’re going to fight back; we can’t lose the monastery.”

Byleth’s eyes widened, “They were on to us?”

Ashe bobbed his head, “Apparently so –“ Ashe paused and Byleth rose her eyebrows in confusion as the boy stared at her, she was going to ask when he pointed at her cheek. “—Did something happen?” He questioned.

She blinked and touched her cheek gingerly, she laughed sheepishly, “Oh! Yeah, I tripped and fell onto the edge of one of the pews. I’m okay now though.” She had to lie, she didn’t want Ashe to worry, nor her other students. It wasn’t Dimitri’s fault.

Ashe pressed his lips together, his mouth forming a tight line as he seemed to believe her. “Oh okay… I’m glad you’re okay – let’s get Mercedes to patch you up before we prepare…”

Byleth nodded, “Right, of course.”

***

Mercedes gasped softly and brushed her gingerly against the bruised skin of Byleth’s cheek. “What happened?”

Byleth sighed, glancing behind her to check that Ashe had gone and that it was just the two of them. “I… Fell?” She suggested and chewed the inside of her cheek when Mercedes gave her a harmless glare – one often used by healers.

“Don’t lie to me Byleth, please?” Mercedes asked, using her faith magic to heal the bruise until it was a light purple rather than a blackish blue and two small cuts lined her cheekbone. It was the best that Mercedes could do due to how long Byleth had left the wound untreated for.

Byleth fluttered her eyes closed at the sensation of faith magic, it always brought her a sense of peace, the magic calmed her. She wondered if it was Mercedes’ herself that caused the feeling or just faith magic in general, she still hadn’t figured that out.

Byleth knew she could confide in the older woman and opened her eyes. “I pushed Dimitri too far and he retaliated.” She answered, the ache in her eyes still apparent and her heart felt heavy. Faith magic wouldn’t be able to heal those pains.

Mercedes frowned, “I see… Did he apologise?”

She shook her head, “No, not exactly. He seemed conflicted, he didn’t - couldn’t understand why I was being so nice to him.”

“Perhaps that’s the first step to him forgiving himself, don’t you think?” She stated with a smile.

“Possibly… It’s hard to know if I’m making progress or just causing further damage.”

Mercedes skimmed her fingers over the scars now on her professor’s cheek, “It’s the best I can do. I’ll have to continue healing it, but I don’t want to cause your blood to clot if I heal it too quickly… The scars will fade in time.”

Byleth snorted, “It probably makes me look dashing?”

A soft bark of laughter left Mercedes and she covered her mouth with a soft snicker, “Yes, indubitably – careful Byleth, you could steal many hearts.”

Byleth rolled eyes with amusement, “Did you tell your adoptive father that you had fallen for me?”

Mercedes threw her a teasing wink and Byleth lost it, laughing loudly, her smile was radiant.

“There we go, there’s that smile we all love.” Mercedes said, gazing at the woman fondly.

Byleth flushed, her smile faltering as she realised what Mercedes was trying to do. “Thank you, Merce. I feel a lot better after talking to you.”

Mercedes embraced the younger woman, squeezing her when Byleth latched on. “Of course, professor – that’s what friends are for.” She murmured. “Your happiness affects all of us, you mean so much to us. I hope you know that.”

Byleth bobbed her head, “I don’t want to worry everyone…” She mumbled into the taller woman’s shoulder.

Mercedes chuckled, “I know but we would rather you be blunter with your feelings like you used to be.”

The green-haired woman raised her head, “Yeah, me too…”


	6. Protect the Monastery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I am also a part of the Blue Lions, you stated it yourself, ‘I am the heart and soul of the Blue Lions’ and what will benefit them will benefit the church. Do not question my logic, Your Highness.”

An Imperial vanguard, led by General Randolph, has deduced the location of the Kingdom army and now advanced with the aim of topping the Garreg Mach for a second time. She remembers the man who she battled against five years ago. She had merely knocked him unconscious with the hilt of her sword, her primary goal was to keep up Dimitri who had charged ahead at the sight of Edelgard. He was a maelstrom and those in his path were annihilated. Maybe if she had killed Randolph, he wouldn’t be attacking their monastery at this very moment, but she couldn’t think like that. Their job was to protect the monastery with everything they had.

She had Mercedes and Cyril by her side, their troops surrounding them. She would lead a small troop from the side and meet Dimitri’s just before they fought Randolph. They also had a trick up their sleeve, Annette and Flayn would use their fire magic to attack a large majority of their army. They would just have to lead the troops into the centre square. They stood either side of Dimitri, both magic wielders ready for when Gilbert gave them the signal. Felix and Sylvain were also prepared to use their magic if they needed more power.

A knight scampered up to Byleth, panting as he regained his breath. “Report! The enemy has entered the percipiency of Garreg Mach!”

She nodded in return and shouted to her troops. “If they reach the interior, we won’t be able to protect the monastery! Push them back with everything you’ve got!” She was met of a cry of affirmation.

She ran ahead first, using her reason magic to attack an armoured knight so that Cyril could sweep in with an axe. Mercedes followed behind quickly, firing both reason and faith magic at the enemies to keep them at bay. Her group were able to make great progress quickly, she could see Dimitri’s group fairing well too. She watched as Annette and Flayn led the enemy closer to them, collecting them into a tight group.

She had to get closer with her own group, she also had to make sure that they weren’t caught in the fire attack as well. They continued to sneak around from the side, stopping when she could see Randolph and Dimitri’s troops clearly.

“So many units, and you still can’t defeat us! The Empire’s generals are not as formidable as I’d heard!”

Byleth could hear Gilbert’s taunting from where her troops where and she was surprised at how cocky he sounded.

“Quiet! Don’t think you’ll get away with mocking me!” Randolph shouted back. “Attack! Make sure they never speak again!”

Gilbert narrowed his eyes, watching as Randolph’s troops pushed closer to his own. “Now!”

Annette, Flayn, Sylvain and Felix casted fire, causing a large section of the town to be covered in flames. Byleth watched as the enemy shoulders screamed and tried to rip their armour off as they were swallowed up by fire. It was gruesome as they writhed and squirmed until their bodies lifeless fell.

She watched as Randolph panicked, his eyes darting about. “Argh… A fire attack – the damage is too great. We can’t fight anymore! All units retreat! I’ll take on our pursers! Carry away the injured soldiers!” He cried, gesturing to his troops to quickly escape. He had not noticed Byleth’s troops corner them from the left.

“_BYLETH_!” The shout of her name caused her to falter and her eyes widened at exactly who had called her name. Her green orbs met Dimitri’s and she swore her body had shut down. _Dimitri had said her name_, he had called out her name. Her _first name_ and she gaped at him in response. There was no way that he had spoken to her specifically. Perhaps there was another Byleth or maybe someone else had said it?

_“Don’t let them escape_!!” His voice bellowed, loud and clear; eye narrowed. She nodded in confirmation that she had heard him. He returned the gesture before he quickly focused on finishing Randolph. No, it had been Dimitri who had yelled her name. It was the first time he had said her name. _Byleth. _She shuddered.

She turned to her troops, returning their determined gazes and rushed towards the retreating troops who were caged in. She ran faster, she had to help Dimitri, she had to keep him safe. She watched as Randolph charged Dimitri, a fierce expression on his face.

“A one-eyed demon… So, it’s you! You’re the one who’s been going around killing the Imperial troops!”

Dimitri’s spear clashed with the man’s axe, the metal scraping together. “What’s it to you?” He responded, pushing back harder and grinning when the enemy’s grip slipped on his axe.

“You bastard! Life is worthless to you, isn’t it?!” Randolph roared.

Dimitri laughed loudly, “Ha! You took the words right out of my mouth, General!” He jerked his spear forward, the weapon piercing Randolph’s shoulder, causing him to cry out in pain and slump to the ground.

Randolph whimpered as Dimitri applied more pressure, the weapon tearing deeper into his flesh, slicing tendons until Dimitri ripped it out aggressively. Causing more damage to the already gaping wound. Randolph clutched his shoulder, curling up on the ground in pain.

Dimitri flicked the blood off his spear and turned to Gilbert. “Capture him and the rest.”

Byleth sighed and sheathed her sword, the power she had used drained her and she felt incredibly tired. They had won, but at what cost?

***

Byleth observed from afar, Dimitri seemed to be torturing Randolph and gaining immense satisfaction from watching the man suffer. She wanted to intervene, truly but she would see what Dimitri did first before she stepped in. Randolph was the enemy, not her Dimitri.

Randolph coughed up blood, spluttering on the concrete, as Dimitri pressed his heel into the man’s cheek. Randolph’s hands and legs were tied up expertly by Ashe and with a little help with Felix to hold the man down.

“I have family waiting for me… Please! I can’t die here!” Randolph sobbed.

Dimitri rolled his one eye and pressed down harder, Byleth wondered if he was going to crack the man’s jaw. “A beast of your depravity, prattling on about family?” He sneered, “How amusing.” Dimitri delivered a swift kick to the man’s jaw and Randolph howled in pain.

“As though you could understand…” Randolph hissed, trying to ease up onto his hands and knees. “… Such a thing as… love… You heartless monster!” He spat.

“You are a monster too, General. You have yet to realise it. A monster who thinks he is a man… Despicable.” Dimitri gripped the spear in his hand tighter, glaring down at the enemy at his feet. “As a general, you must have killed countless souls without a shred of mercy. Do you still remember the sound of them begging, just as you are now? Or… now that your life is at its end, will you hold to the lie that your hands are not stained red by blood? Dimitri admonished.

Randolph shook his head, tears streaming down his face. “This… This is war. I did what I had to for the Empire…” He choked and spat out a tooth, blood gushing from his mouth and nose. “F-for… The people! F-for my family!”

“So, you are piling up corpses for the people and your family. And I am doing the same for the salvation of the dead.” Dimitri smirked wickedly, it shifted wider into a splitting grin that made Randolph duck his head in fright. “After all that is said and done, we are both murders. Both stained. Both monsters.”

“You’re wrong! I’m… Nothing like you!”

Dimitri raised a slender brow, “Oh, am I?” Dimitri moved his foot to plant it on Randolph’s back, pushing him back down. He scrunched up his face and sniffed the air, mocking the man. “I can smell the rotting flesh upon your hands even now, General.”

“Stop it! Stop it!” Randolph cried out, his shoulders shaking as choked on his tears and blood.

“Shut it. I won’t kill you right away, my fellow monster. Unless you object to your friends dying… One… By… One.” Dimitri rolled the man over, aiming the tip of the spear just above his right eye, grinning when Randolph started to scream. “If so, I will do you the service of removing your eyes first so that –“

Byleth had to stop this now, she couldn’t bear to watch Dimitri torture this man. She unsheathed her sword and walked over, she shoved the blade into the man’s chest, piercing his heart.

Randolph gasped; his eyes glassy as he lifted his head to stare up at the sky. “Fleche… I’m sorry…” Byleth watched as he flopped lifelessly and looked at Dimitri who glared at her.

“What is the meaning of this?” He questioned.

Byleth jerked her sword out of the man’s chest and sheathed it. “I miss the Dimitri I once knew…”

Dimitri scoffed, his one eye flickering to the mark on her cheek and somehow that made him angrier. “The Dimitri you knew is dead. All that remains is the repulsive, blood-stained monster you see before you.” He shifted his gaze to her eyes. “If you do not approve of what I’ve become, then kill me.”

Byleth opened her mouth to retort but he bet her to it. “If you insist that you cannot… Then I will continue to use you and your friends until the flesh falls from your bones.”

“I would never _harm_ you Dimitri nor would I ever _kill_ you. Do not assume that I would just because I am upset with what you have become.” Byleth rebuked, her green eyes stormy, her tone sharp. “They are your friends too, you may not believe it, but they are. We will always be by—”

“—Hypocrite. You’re a hypocrite Byleth, you left for five years and you have the audacity to spout more lies? Do not take me for a fool like _your friends.”_

Byleth blanched and clamped her mouth shut, wincing when he pushed past her, Leaving her behind with a lifeless corpse and an ache in her chest.

***

Gilbert had called her, her students and Seteth in for a meeting, the group had gathered in the meeting room on the second floor. She had not spoken to Dimitri since their last conversation and she worried what else she could say that would make the prince want to strangle her.

“We managed to repel the Imperial army, but we remain divided on our next course of action.” Gilbert sighed and dragged a hand down his weary face. “I anticipate a second and third wave attack… With our current forces we’ll have our hands full with just defending.”

Sylvain agreed, “It’s a miracle we managed to repel the Imperial army with the few units and resources we do have.”

“We should probably contact Rodrigue right away and request back up.” Annette suggested.

Gilbert grasped his chin in thought at his daughter’s idea. “Rodrigue is in a difficult position, as he has suffered invasions by the Dukedom. But there are troops who share in our cause gathering in the heart of Fraldarius territory. If we can arrange for them to join us, our forces will grow considerably.”

Dimitri hummed softly, muttering to himself. “Fraldarius… So, Rodrigue is still alive, is he?”

Byleth raised her brow, “Yes, I remember him from when we met five years ago. I’m glad he’s still fighting.”

“So, you did.” Dimitri replied, and the response spooked Byleth.

Felix snickered, “I wonder what my old man will say when he sees you now. That spectacle alone will be worth the trip.”

Dimitri glared at Felix and the dark-haired man merely smirked in return. Was that progress? She could hardly tell by this point.

“I’ve already sent word with our fastest messenger informing Rodrigue that His Highness is alive. But we’d do well to send another in case anything happens the first. With the current state of things, we’ll be completely helpless without his support.” Gilbert spoke and turned his attention to Dimitri. “Your Highness, may I ask what your next plan of attack is? Should we dispatch our troops to the Kingdom capital or to the Imperial capital?”

“We will take the Imperial capital. There, I will kill her.” Dimitri stated. “We end the war and chase away the lingering regrets of the dead. Nothing could be more to the point.”

Annette voiced Byleth’s thoughts, “Uh, that may be true, but don’t forget your people need our help right now…”

Ingrid agreed with Annette, voicing her own opinion. “Your Highness… I hate them too. But the citizens of Fhirdiad have long awaited your return.”

“Just give it up already. Wasting time thinking about stuff like that will only dull your blade.” Sylvain pointed out bluntly and Byleth grimaced.

Ashe pursed his lips as he thought, “Defeating Edelgard would put an end to the war. That would benefit the Kingdom as well…”

Mercedes seemed to be on the same page as Ashe. “We still need to look for Lady Rhea, so I agree that we should get to Enbarr as fast as possible.”

“Professor… Whatever you decide, we shall follow.” Seteth stated.

Byleth felt a migraine coming on and she hated that she had to make the decision. On one hand she wanted to appease Dimitri and agree with him that they should take on Edelgard now. However, they could gain more troops, resources and much more land. It would benefit them more.

She made her decision based on logic. “We need to take back Fhirdiad, the Kingdom Capital…”

She saw Dimitri tense up beside her and knew that he didn’t agree with her. “You were entrusted with leading the church. One would think the logical step is to march to Enbarr.” He turned to face her. “If Lady Rhea is being held prisoner in the Empire, we don’t have time to waste taking back Fhirdiad. Can you deny it?”

“I am also a part of the Blue Lions, you stated it yourself, ‘I am the heart and soul of the Blue Lions’ and what will benefit them will benefit the church. Do not question my logic, Your Highness.”

Dimitri’s eye widened at her words and even Byleth was surprised with herself, she hadn’t met to sass the prince, but she needed him to understand. He turned away from her after that, gaze distant, he seemed deep in thought.

Gilbert spoke up to clear the tension, “Either way, we are in need of numbers. It is essential that we secure backup.”

Byleth sighed deeply, she prayed to Sothis that this was the right decision and that Rhea would be safe.


	7. Felix

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Byleth agreed, “Yes, that seems for the best.” She paused and skimmed her fingers over the texture of her stockings, checking for runs. “May I ask a personal question?”
> 
> “Hmph. How personal?”

Byleth sat within the cathedral, she found herself there often during her frees. Specifically, when she wasn’t busy helping the new recruits, cooking for the soldiers or advising her former students. So, she sat and listened to the soft chattering of priests and knights. Sometimes her other students would join her and converse, but she mainly sat there to keep an eye on Dimitri. She pressed her fingers to her cheek, feeling the small scars, the bruising had slowly turned yellow after seeing Mercedes so often. She was glad she had another to confide to. Byleth felt the pew dip as another sat next to her, hands tightly folded and legs extended, she glimpsed to her right and a small smile appeared on her face.

“Hello, Felix. To what do I owe this pleasure?” She teased, smiling wider when Felix snorted, an amused grin splitting his handsome face.

“I have a request… Considering that… Creature.” He spoke, gaze fixated on Dimitri. “I can hardly look at the thing in the state it’s in. Do something about it.”

Her smile slipped and she curled a strand of hair behind her ear. “I… Felix I’m trying, but nothing I say seems to work. Somehow I make him… Angrier.” She decided upon, her face scrunching up.

Felix sighed, “I think you’ve achieved more than I have – we tracked the boar down for five years. I thought he was dead. In the state he’s in, he might as well be.” A troubled expression marred his face, “He’s gotten better at killing people, and in exchange, surrendered what little humanity he had.”

She hummed and bobbed her head at his words. “I think its because I’m pestering him so much or because he finds it easier to lash out at me. I left for five years, you all tried to find him.”

“It’s not your fault, don’t blame yourself and especially stop apologising to the boar.” He grumbled, poking her in the cheek directly where her bruise was.

She yelped and smacked his hand away, huffing when he snickered. “How did—”

“—Ashe mentioned the bruise and Mercedes seemed to glance between you and Dimitri every time you spoke. It doesn’t take a genius to figure it out.”

She grunted, touching her cheek lightly, “It wasn’t his fault, so don’t blame him.”

“Hmph. If he does it again, you need to let us know.”

“It’s not a big –“ She groaned when Felix glared at her. She rolled her eyes, throwing her hands up in the air. “Fine! I’ll tell you, but don’t cause a scene.”

“Such little faith.” He scoffed as he stretched his legs out further.

She chewed the inside of her cheek, flickering her gaze to Felix, who quirked a brow in return. “How’s your relationship going with… Your father…”

Felix rubbed his eyes, he looked tired and incredibly irritated at the mention of Rodrigue. “It’s complicated and I’d rather not see him at all, he’s a nuisance… I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Of course, you can always talk to me – or maybe Sylvain, Ingrid too…”

“Fucking, no way am I talking to Sylvain.” He said harshly, making Byleth giggle. “It’s true, all the man does is flirt with every girl he sees.” He scrunched his nose up in disgust. “Then he tries to get me to join, it’s annoying.”

“But he might be the biggest help, you just have to talk to him. I mean, Sylvain hated me for a while, yet now we’re on good terms.”

Felix blinked owlishly and looked at her, “Why?”

“Because people liked me for me, rather than my crest. Sylvain is a very difficult person under all those layers… But it seems like all of my Blue Lions students are.”

“Hmph. All right, I’ll try talking to Sylvain more about it. He has said that I can…” He trailed off and Byleth didn’t notice. “I won’t with Ingrid, she doesn’t need to be reminded of Glenn.”

Byleth agreed, “Yes, that seems for the best.” She paused and skimmed her fingers over the texture of her stockings, checking for runs. “May I ask a personal question?”

“Hmph. How personal?”

“It’s about Sylvain.”

“Too personal.”

Byleth hummed softly and nodded, she was going to open her mouth to apologise but froze at the red decorating the man’s ears – _ah_ perhaps it was.

Felix scratched the back of his neck, “I’ll tell you when I figure it out.”

“Of course, I’m here if you need me, Felix – oh and I’m sorry for prying too much.”

The dark-haired man shook his head, “No, it was a simple question. Thank you for worrying about us all.”

Byleth flushed and a wide smile spread across her face, “It’s my job.” She halted as she felt a looming shadow above her, she lifted her head and raised her eyebrows at Dimitri. “Hello, Dimitri.” She glanced behind him, spotting Gilbert. “Hello, Gilbert.” The man replied with a small smile.

“Boar, what do you want? Byleth and I are having a discussion.” Felix spoke, pursing his lips.

“We received a letter from Rodrigue, come to the Entrance Hall.” Dimitri said, causing both Byleth and Felix to perk up.

***

The four stood together in the Entrance, away from prying eyes as Felix read over the letter, amber orbs darting over the pages as he took in all the information.

He handed it to Byleth once he was done, “You should read it too.”

She took it gently and quirked her brow at the beautiful handwriting, the cursive swirling and connecting each word. She briefly wondered if Felix had a similar writing, but she dismissed the thought and began reading:

_Gilbert has informed me of your current position. He tells me you are in immediate need of additional troops. I would like to say that I will gather reinforcements and send them to the monastery at once… However, I cannot afford to leave the front lines for that long. Would you be willing to meet us south of Fraldarius territory in Ailell, the Valley of Torment? Ailell is halfway between the monastery and our territory. There, I will deliver the soldiers you require. _

She handed the letter back to Felix, “The Valley of Torment? Sounds like a great place.” She quipped

Gilbert sighed and she knew the valley wasn’t exactly a _nice _place due to his reaction. “Ailell lies on the border between Kingdom territory and Alliance territory. Humans dare not approach that place.”

“He’s right. In Ailell, we can meet up with them without our enemy ever finding out.” Dimitri replied.

Felix agreed, “One my old man delivers his soldiers to us, then our war against the Empire can finally begin.”

Gilbert grimaced as he grasped his chin in thought, “The path ahead will be a difficult one, Your Highness. Deadly, in all likelihood…”

“True. But what’s the point in wavering now?” Dimitri crossed his arms over his chest, ignoring their gazes. “Father, Stepmother, Glenn, and even Dedue… I am certain this will bring them joy. I know if I can just offer Edelgard’s head… I just know it…” He spoke to himself, closing his one eye.


	8. Ambush at Ailell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Byleth flushed, shaking her head “We were all fortunate.” 
> 
> Rodrigues’s smile widened, “Nonsense, we are in your debt. I will repay you for this someday, I swear it."

It’s hot, unbearably so and Byleth can feel sweat in places she’d rather not think about. Its disgusting and she feels sticky, it’d be easier just to strip down to her smallclothes. She wonders how the rest of her students are faring. Faerghus has much colder weather and so their bodies are accustomed to it, the heat is something foreign to them and so it must be torture for them in such heavy armour. She watches her students strip off layers and cloaks, trying to cool themselves off but also remain covered. The only one who doesn’t seem to care is Dimitri, and Byleth has no idea how he seems unfazed – especially in such dark and thick armour. His long hair can’t be much help either and if she squints at his expression, she can see he’s uncomfortable. His skin is flushed and sweat collects at his hairline, some trickles down his neck and disappears into the gaps of his armour. Byleth wants to help in some way, even if he doesn’t want it, so she digs into the pocket of her shorts, grinning when she finds what she’s looking for. A hair tie, one that is merely made of fabric woven together. Byleth used to keep heaps in her pockets for when she wanted to tie her own hair up, but after she cut it – there really was no need to.

Byleth waltzed up to Dimitri, tapping on his arm lightly to gain his attention. When she knew she had it she slipped her hand down to his and opened his palm, placing the hair tie in it.

“Its to tie your hair up. I know your uncomfortable in this heat Dimitri, you don’t have to hide it.” She stated, watching as he glanced down at the hair tie and then back to her. “You should take off your cloak as well, it’ll weigh you down and just be an inconvenience.”

He stared at her blankly and Byleth doubted he would take her advice, yet to her surprise he listened to her. Dimitri gathered his hair together in his right hand and in his left, he used the hair tie to stop it from falling. Strands still fell into his face and his blonde locks created bumps due to how haphazardly it had been done but, he looked handsome with his hair pushed back. She perished the thought, however. She couldn’t think of him like that, not now. He unclasped his clock, slipping it off his shoulders and folding it, he handed it to Byleth. When he saw that she had a firm grasp on his cloak, he pushed past her and made his way over to Gilbert. Byleth blinked owlishly, her eyes following the blonde man. He looked incredibly small without the cloak, still tall but he looked incredibly thin. She wondered if he was eating properly, she knew he wasn’t sleeping – at night time he was either in the cathedral or by the stables. Byleth placed the cloak with the other items her students, and the Knights of Serios had removed.

“This place isn’t a place I’d care to return to…” Gilbert murmured, tugging at his high collar.

Ingrid fanned herself, trying to cool herself off. “After the extreme chilliness of Faerghus, I can’t seem to adjust to this extreme heat.”

Sylvain hummed, pushing his red locks away from his face. “Historically, there have been battles whose outcomes were determined in part by climate. You can’t argue that this heat isn’t a factor.”

“In conditions like these, who knows what will become of our morale...”

Gilbert turned to Byleth, “Be honest, Professor – how are you holding up?”

Byleth rubbed the back of her neck, scrunching her face up when all she felt was sweat. “I never thought it would be like this… It’s horrible.”

“Monks once used this area as an ascetic training ground because of the intense environment. They say Ailell was born of the goddess’ rage...”

Byleth turned towards the Valley of Torment, taking in the fiery pits, she wondered if Sothis could have really caused something like this – and why? She had always suspected something had happened with Sothis and Nemesis, something that had long been forgotten. Perhaps Byleth could try and ask Sothis about it, but it was highly unlikely she would not receive an answer.

“I have never heard of that before.” Byleth answered.

“If you believe the legends, this valley is evidence of the goddess’ judgment… Passed on humanity for its corruption. The forest that once covered the surrounding area was burnt to ash by a pillar of light that descended from the heavens. That legend fuelled belief in place of torment between our world and the next… Where one’s sins is purified in the cleansing flames.”

Dimitri scoffed, “Nonsense. Sins are not so easily washed away.”

Byleth agreed, “That is true, it takes forgiveness from yourself and those you’ve wounded…” She ignored Dimitri’s curious glance.

“Indeed… And there are no accounts of such a place in scripture. Yet those who cannot face their own sins have no choice but to cling to the idea.” Gilbert added, sharing a look with Byleth.

Mercedes huffed, “Ugh! I just don’t think I can handle this heat anymore. I think I’m starting to see things…”

Annette exhaled; her breath ragged. “You’ve got that right, Mercie! I swear I’m seeing people gathered by those mountains over there!” She pointed.

Byleth’s eyes widened, “I don’t think you’re hallucinating…”

“I… Is that Rodrigues’s army – no! No, it can’t be…” Gilbert trailed off, he couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

Dimitri finished his sentence for him, “That is House Rowe’s banner. They curried favour with that witch and sold out Faerghus.”

“We had a spy among us.” Felix uttered; his eyes focused on the soldiers closing in on them.

Gilbert looked towards Dimitri, “Your Highness, will you have us meet them in battle or wait for Rodrigue to arrive?”

“There is only one option. How kind of them to save us the trouble of killing them later.”

Byleth quirked her brow, “Aren’t they your former allies?”

Dimitri sneered, scrunching up his face and Byleth was tempted to turn back time to stop herself from asking such a pointless question.

“_I will not repeat myself_. That banner belongs to the Gray Lion. It’s a waste of breath to exchange words with one such as him.”

“His Highness is correct. He is not an opponent whom we can expect to negotiate with. Everyone! Prepare for attack!” Gilbert ordered, watching as everyone scattered to prepare for battle.

***

Rodrigue and his army had appeared in the nick of time to assist them in defeating the Gray Lions. Rodrigues’s warm smile was nostalgic for Byleth, she remembered when she had first met the man. He had been incredibly kind to her, and she knew Dimitri thought high of him. It was saddening to know that Felix hated his father but after his reasons she could understand why. It was hard to judge Rodrigue, but she still admired the man.

“It’s been too long, Your Highness. But try to temper your joy, will you? This is war after all.” Rodrigue jested, his tone light.

“To say such a thing at a time like this. You have not changed one bit.” Dimitri muttered, although he didn’t seem annoyed. It seemed that having Rodrigue here, lifted Dimitri’s mood – somewhat.

“Don’t let looks deceive you. I’ve had a rough go of it ever since I crossed blades with those traitors in Fhirdiad. When I heard that you’d been executed, I rushed here as fast as I could, blind with fury.” Rodrigue shook his head, with a sift roll of his violet eyes. “When I got there, I was fed some garbage about not being able to see your body. The next thing I knew, I was grabbing my blade and…” He trailed off, fixating his gaze on Gilbert. “Gilbert, you have done well to locate His Highness. I am truly grateful. Oh –“ He smiled at Byleth, “And of course, you – professor.”

Byleth flushed, shaking her head “We were all fortunate.”

Rodrigues’s smile widened, “Nonsense, we are in your debt. I will repay you for this someday, I swear it. It is good to see you again as well; you always seem to be there when we need you most.” He looked over at Felix, “And you Felix… You have done well to bring His Highness here.”

Felix huffed, narrowing his eyes and Sylvain placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. It seemed to calm Felix for now as Felix rolled his shoulders, raising his head as he stood tall. Byleth frowned, it hadn’t been what Felix had wanted to hear from his father.

Dimitri raised his voice, “Tell us all you know, Rodrigue.”

A deep sigh left the older man, “I’m afraid there isn’t much to tell. You are aware that the western region of the kingdom was taken by the Empire, yes?”

Dimitri grunted, face tightening, “Yes, so I have heard. They are now calling it the Faerghus Dukedom or some nonsense.”

“If you know that much, then the rest won’t take long. Enemy or not, it’s undeniable that Cornelia’s plan was nothing short of genius. After seizing power, she invited the Imperial army to Fhirdiad. There, she recognised her troops and then sent soldiers to hunt me down. Because of that, we were forced to act defensively and now we’re being forced into a difficult battle. She’s been controlling the situation all along.”

Dimitri’s shoulders sagged, his eye downcast, “So, that’s been the witch’s plan from the start. I should have killed her long ago…” He spoke softly, almost sounding as if he blamed himself.

“Your Highness… Fhirdiad is in a terrible state right now. The tyranny is unbearable, and so the rebellions are endless. Refugees starve to death in the streets.” Rodrigue paused, mulling over his thoughts. “If I may speak freely, Your Highness… We should change course for Fhirdiad and take down those _traitors _before we embark to Enbarr.”

Byleth exhaled, she knew Rodrigue would try and persuade Dimitri as well, but the prince’s heart was set on Enbarr. There was nothing that could change his mind.

“There’s no time for that. We _must _annihilate Enbarr before all else.”

“Think this through. I understand wanting to destroy the Empire and the emperor. I want that so much it _hurts._ But which is more important, the dead or the living?”

“_Silence!” _Dimitri hissed and Byleth grimaced.

“No, Dimitri. You will hear me out.”

“Are you asking me… Asking the dead… To forgive that woman?” Dimitri questioned, it sounded ludicrous.

“No. I would not ask that of you. What I am asking is that you allow us to prioritise the Kingdom capital over the Imperial capital for now. As Lambert’s close and trusted friend, I am confident that he would have advised the same.”

Dimitri glowered. “Do not _dare _to put words in the mouth of the dead. They are your words alone, even if you borrow their lips. Until I offer up that woman’s head, Father will remain a slave to his lingering regret and hatred…” He snapped; tone venomous. “Even now, he suffers. It is ceaseless. As we waste time with idle chatter, his suffering continues!”

Rodrigue paused before finally deciding to bow. “You are my King. Our King. Wherever you lead, we will follow. But Your Highness… There are those who take up their sword in the name of revenge, and yet along the way, lose the strength and composure to follow through… You would do well to bear that in mind.”

Rodrigue forced a smile upon his face, “Ah, I nearly forgot. Take this Your Highness. The time has come for it to be wielded by its true master.” He gestured for one of his soldiers to walk over, the young knight was gingerly holding a long spear – created by bone.

Dimitri took the weapon, gripping it tightly. “Areadbhar… The Hero Relic once wielded by my father.” It belonged in his hands.

Rodrigue nodded, “The very same. I managed to steal It back from one of Cornelia’s underlings in Fhirdiad.”

Felix snorted, crossing his arms over his chest, “Understated as ever, Father. It must have been a true struggle to get it back.”

Dimitri held the weapon closer to his form, skimming his fingers over the intricate designs of the hilt. “I… I am grateful, my friend.”

Byleth smiled at Dimitri’s gratitude, she looked down at the weapon, admiring the design. “Lambert must have been a magnificent warrior.”

Rodrigue hummed, returning her smile. “Indeed, it was an honour to fight by his side – ah Gilbert, professor may I request something of you? I wish to fight by your side.”

Felix shook his head, raising a slender brow. “Senile already, old man? Who will protect our territory?”

“I expected it would come to this, so I left those matters to my younger brother. He has my complete faith. I must keep my promise to our fallen king… To my dear friend.”

Byleth was intrigued, the promise had something to do with Dimitri – she was sure of it. “What kind of promise, might I ask?”

“A very old one. I swore it nearly ten years ago- now Your Highness. Let us destroy the Empire together. My men and I will spare no effort.” Rodrigue deeply bowed, “I pray that you are right… And that this will save the Kingdom.”

Dimitri glanced down at the relic within his gloved hands. “I know it will.” He vowed.


	9. Dreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She tilted her head as she spoke to him, “Are you sad?” 
> 
> He bobbed his head and she felt tears prick her own eyes, she wondered who this poor boy was.

“Our orders are to capture Enbarr by striking the enemy stronghold directly… How familiar are you with the geography of Fodlan?” Rodrigue asked Byleth.

Byleth thought for a moment, she had spent some time studying the lands of Fodlan. She wanted to become more accustomed to the places her students were from, it was the least she could do as their professor.

“I’m quite familiar.” She answered.

“Then you must be aware that the Kingdom and the Empire are separated by the impassable Oghma Mountains, right?” Rodrigue waited for Byleth to nod before continuing, “Legend has it that Saint Serios once crossed over those mountains to fight against the Fell King Nemesis. But don’t fool yourself. Leading a large army over such steep mountains would be near impossible.”

“In order to infiltrate the Empire, we have no choice but to go around the mountains, either to the east or to the west.” Gilbert added.

West would lead them straight to Imperial forces, which would only result in losing troops and unnecessary bloodshed. East would take them through the Alliance, which is the much safer route of the two.

“We should go east.” She finally decided.

Rodrigue nodded, “Yes, I agree. The Alliance is currently split in two. Those who stand with the Empire and those who are against it. Leading the Imperial faction is House Gloucester, while House Riegan leads those who oppose.”

Byleth’s eyes widened and she lowered her gaze to the floor, “_Claude…”_ She murmured softly. Perhaps they could persuade Claude to join forces, of course the lord was a peculiar fellow and Byleth never truly understood him. Yet, she knew that if he gained something from it, then he would agree to it. She lifted her eyes and halted when they met Dimitri’s. She shifted them quickly to Rodrigue as he continued to speak.

“We should take advantage of their internal conflict and proceed east along the mountains until we reach the Great Bridge of Myrddin in Alliance territory.”

“Why will we be using that bridge?” Byleth questioned, looking to Gilbert.

Gilbert spoke, “The Airmid River divides Alliance and Empire territory. There are many large bridges that cross it. However, the Great Bridge of Myrddin is by far the largest, and it is also the closest to the monastery. I believe you crossed that bridge five years ago on your journey to the Battle of the Eagle and Lion.”

She hummed, “Yes, I remember…” She casted a curious glance at Dimitri; his eye was still focused on her form. “…Won’t it be risky? The Alliance and Empire could attack us, it’d be like… five years ago…” She trailed off.

“It’s a possibility. But it’s still more practical than passing through the west.”

“We should try contacting Clau- Uhm… House Riegan, having them on our side would greatly benefit us.” Byleth proposed, smiling when Rodrigue seemed to agree with her idea.

“Claude of House Riegan is the leader of the Alliance and is firmly against the Empire. They are the enemy of our enemy… In other words, hopefully, a friend.”

Dimitri’s calculating gaze shifted to Gilbert, “Are you suggesting that we ask House Reigan to engage Gloucester soldiers?”

The orange-haired man bobbed his head, “I am. If we take the bride, then House Gloucester will no longer be able to receive support from the Empire. There’s no way a man as wise as Claude would refuse our request.”

“And once we manage to capture the Great Bridge and gain a foothold into the Empire…” Rodrigue waited for Dimitri to continue.

“Then we cross Gronder Field and head south toward Enbarr.” Dimitri murmured.

Byleth felt the corners of her mouth dip when she noticed the maddening crooked grin that formed on the blonde man’s lips. She narrowed her eyes, “I hope Claude agrees to side with us, I… I don’t want to have to fight the Alliance.”

Dimitri huffed, “If you do not wish to kill familiar faces, do not tarry over the corpses of the dead.”

She shook her head sharply, “That’s not what I meant, Dimitri. I _can_ kill, I’ve done it for _years_. I just don’t want Claude to cause unnecessary bloodshed.”

Rodrigue sighed softly, “We can only pray that Claude will join our cause.”

***

_The wind is cold against Byleth’s skin, chilling her bare arms and legs – she’s in her nightgown, peculiarly. Her short green hair tickles her jaw and neck as it rustles with the breeze. She finds herself in a courtyard, snow beneath her feet, its cold on her toes. The silence is corrupted by a sob, one that echoed throughout the lonely area. This wasn’t the monastery, it was somewhere else, somewhere she’d never been before._ _Fhirdiad. She swore Sothis said in her mind, yet she was still unsure. She decided to follow the crying, perhaps she could soothe the aching soul._

_Her feet carried her into the Kingdom, yet when she looked around it was the cathedral instead – one that she had frequently visited. The crying was louder, coming out in soft gasps. She walked further in, her eyes scanning the room to find the source of the noise. She stopped as she made it to the front pew, a small long-haired blonde boy was kicking his legs, they did not touch the ground. Baby-blue eyes shifted to her seafoam green and the boy gasped, abruptly jumping off the pew and wiping his eyes quickly._

_Byleth took a step closer to the boy, feeling a smile spread across her lips as she noticed a scarlet blush decorating his pale skin. _

_“Are you okay?” She asked gently, taking another step, she sat down on the pew and grinned when he joined her, sitting back down._

_He started to nod but it he quickly shook it and clasped his pudgy hands together in his lap. “No.” He mumbled, his voice was soft and boyish. It was incredibly cute._

_She tilted her head as she spoke to him, “Are you sad?” _

_He bobbed his head and she felt tears prick her own eyes, she wondered who this poor boy was. _

_“Can you tell me why you’re sad?” _

_The boy exhaled shakily, his bottom lip was trembling as he tried to contain his tears. “E-everyone… Everyone is gone…” _

_“Someone in particular, perhaps?” She spoke._

_“Mm… My papa, my mama… El…” _

_She pursed her lips, quirking her brow at the name ‘El’. She wasn’t who this person was, but they seemed important to the young child. Byleth sat closer to the boy, observing as he shuffled closer to her in return. “Not everyone, I’m right here.” She reminded, hoping she could try and take the sadness away._

_Her statement caused the boy’s large eyes to widen, he jerked his head up to look at her. He gaped at her, “Oh… You’re right.” _

_Byleth hummed and hugged the boy gingerly, the boy returned the embrace, resting his head against her chest, yet he pulled away quickly, ears a red hue._

_“I- I… I’m sorry! I didn’t, I never asked for your name…” He stated, a genuine smile forming on his face despite the puffiness of his eyes._

_She giggled, “Byleth, my name is Byleth.” _

_His baby-blue eyes shone, “Oh! That name… Is very pretty-“ He quickly cleared his throat and slid off the pew, standing in front of her. “My name is Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd! It is a pleasure to meet you, miss Byleth!” _

_Byleth’s non-beating heart leapt into her throat, she stared at the little boy, admiring his childish features that would sharpen into the man he is now. She felt her smile wobble and reached out, hugging the boy tightly. She heard him squeak at the action, but he quickly returned it._

_Dimitri whimpered, hiding away against her chest, “P-Please… Don’t leave me too…”_

_“I’ll stay with you Dima, I’ll stay right here and keep you safe. I promise.” She whispered in his hear, she quickly felt the boy tremble and squeezed him. _

Byleth’s eyes opened and she sat up abruptly in her bed, groaning at the vertigo that caused the room to spin. She rubbed her eyes and slipped out of bed, feeling her night down stick to her sweat-slicked skin. She hobbled over to her lamp, sparking fire in her hand to light the candle. Byleth sighed and dragged her hands through her course hair.

_Dimitri._

She’d dreamt about Dimitri, it wasn’t the first, but It was the first time she had seen him as a child. It was odd but perhaps her mind was telling her to _find him. _The cathedral seemed the obvious place to go, and her mind thought of a small lonely Dimitri – hidden away from the world. Byleth, with new found determination grabbed a pair of brown leather boots and tied them up, she grabbed the lamp and headed to the cathedral.

***

The monastery was quiet, with only a few guards on patrol, circling the areas or chatting with others who were doing their rounds. It felt odd to be up at this time, Byleth liked sleeping – perhaps a little too much. She held the lamp in front of her, lighting the way for her to tread. She walks along the bridge, shivering and clutching the lamp closer to her form to keep warm – she wished she had brought a jacket. Byleth makes her way to the cathedral and enters the room. She peers into the dark, extending her arm to move the lamp about in front of her – she spots a large form; head tilted towards the gaping hole in the roof.

_Dimitri. _

She walks closer to Dimitri, cautiously – she has no idea what his temper is like tonight, but she hopes he is somewhat calm. When she makes it close enough, she places the lamp down on the pew and drifts over to Dimitri’s side. She hesitates before speaking, her eyes focused on his face – she’s unsure what expression it is he wears but it surprises her nonetheless.

“Dimitri… What are you doing up so late?” She inquired softly, her voice barely a whisper.

Either he did not hear her, or he did not seem to care, but he didn’t answer. Byleth sighed and looked up at the stars through the gap.

She tried again, “It’s a beautiful night, tonight… Don’t you think?”

No response.

She moved her gaze to his face, “Nightmares?” She saw his mouth twitch and she returned her gaze to the sky, she had been correct. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“_No_.” He replied, and she flinched at the sudden noise. She hadn’t expected him to answer. “You would not understand.”

Byleth felt a stab of pain in her chest from his words but decided to follow along, “_Perhaps, _but I can always lend an ear for your worries.”

Dimitri angled his face to look at her and she returned the stare, she wouldn’t back down tonight. She was tired of failing and even her subconscious mind had told her to _stay with him. _

“My w_orries?_” He scoffed, “Professor, you seemed so _fucking_ ecstatic to see _Claude_ that I wonder if you regret choosing me. Why should _I_ tell _you_ anything?”

Byleth’s seafoam green eyes blinked widely at the man before her. “_Dima, _I have _never _regretted choosing you - you are the reason I joined the Blue Lions, why would I _ever_ voluntarily leave you?” She confessed.

“Because I am not the man I once was, Byleth! That Dimitri is dead!” Dimitri yelled, turning to face her now, he stalked towards her and she took a step back. “He’s been dead for _years_, I lost Dedue and I lost _you! _Do you have any idea how hard it was – “ Byleth’s back bumped against the pillar behind her and she had to crane her neck up. “- No, no you don’t…I will _never_ forgive you for that.”

Byleth ducked her head, narrowing her eyes as she felt a wave of sadness wash over her. “_I-I’m sorry… _And I don’t expect you to forgive me – yet I’m trying so hard to be here for you now, this Dimitri – the one you are now. I know the old you is gone… So…” She lifted her head as she reached up, brushing her fingers against his covered eye. “How did you… lose your eye?”

He quickly grabbed her arm as he stared down at her, mixed emotions swirling in his singular piercing blue eye. Dimitri tugged her arm away from his face, “I gouged it, with a knife… I wanted to stop seeing their faces… I didn’t want to look at them anymore… The guilt…” Dimitri released his grip from her wrist and touched where his missing eye was. “I was going to take the other… But – how could I see Edelgard’s face when I killed her? When I ripped her apart – _slowly _– tortured her and killed her over and over and over –“ He trailed off, staring widely at Byleth.

Byleth felt a tinge of fear crawl up her spine and cried out when his hand clasped around her neck, squeezing it. She choked, gasping for air as she clawed at his hand – she still couldn’t believe his inhuman strength. She coughed out his name, scrunching up her face.

“_I will kill you if you get in my way – “ _

She scoffed, “N-No- you… No, you won’t… You won’t kill me…”

Dimitri gawked at her, somehow her doubt made him angrier. “Tch, I could do so right now, and I’d feel _nothing.”_

“You’re lying… I-If you had wanted to-to kill…. Me – you would have…” Byleth took a deep breath in, trying to retain as much air as possible – she swore her vision was starting to dim. “…When I… Saw you again…”

Dimitri slightly loosened his grip, gazing at her intently, Byleth continued when she could breathe easily. “Dimitri – you wouldn’t kill me; I know you wouldn’t… You wouldn’t want me to haunt you too.”

The blonde-haired man gasped softly and stepped away from her, squinting at her, “You have-“

“Yes… I do and… You know what I would say to you?” She murmured, touching the sensitive skin of her neck. “I would tell you how proud I am of you, how strong and brave you are for doing this all on your own. Dimitri, your family would be so grateful that you’re trying your very best to meet their needs. You are a brilliant King; Your Highness and I will never leave your side. You can use me until the flesh rots off my bones, till I am nothing but a corpse or empty shell but know that I am here. Even if you don’t want me.”

Dimitri stared at her, his shoulders trembling, he exhaled shakily – turning away from her abruptly. He seemed to be having an internal battle with himself, his fits quaking by his sides. One side of him seemed to win as he walked away from her, yet Byleth noticed the sheen in his one eye and she felt her own eyes well up.

“D-Dimitri!” She called out, yet she did not expect him to answer – instead he stooped, back still facing her. “When I found you at the monastery, were you waiting for me?”

Dimitri’s voice was so soft that she would’ve missed it if she hadn’t been straining to listen. “_You know the answer.” _And with that, he left her alone within the empty cathedral.

Byleth clamped her mouth shut, feeling at the already bruising skin at her neck. She couldn’t stop the smile that appeared on her face because _yes, he had waited for her. _Her smile wobbles because it still _hurts _and all she can do is pray that Sothis will somehow take pain away.


	10. Rodrigue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Byleth smiled warmly, “I won’t let you down, Rodrigue.”
> 
> “You’re a brave one, aren’t you? One worthy of leading the Church of Serios or… The Kingdom, I daresay.”

Mercedes sighed softly, clicking her tongue as she inspected the darkening bruise on Byleth’s neck, not to mention the ashen colour of her skin and purple crescent moons under her eyes. Her former professor looked horrible, and she hated that she couldn’t heal the blank stare that met her violet-blue eyes.

“Byleth… Did His Highness hurt you again?” She prompted gently, she wanted to soothe the young woman not cause her to have another anxiety attack.

Byleth blinked sluggishly and bobbed her head once, “Choked me.”

Mercedes narrowed her pretty eyes, “Byleth, he can’t hurt you like this and get away with it, have you told anyone else? Perhaps Gilbert or Rodrigue could do so—”

“—No, I can’t let this fall onto another’s shoulders. Dimitri is my responsibility…”

The priest clenched her jaw, her expression tightening, “No he is not, you don’t have to shoulder the burden alone. That’s why we’re here, we all care and love you – you know that.”

Byleth blinked away the tears that she could see in the corner of her vision, she didn’t want to cry again but Mercedes’ words were so comforting.

“Why… Why do you think he’s your responsibility?”

“Because…” Byleth exhaled and sniffed, wiping her eyes. “…because I… I lo—” She clamped her mouth shut, not finishing the sentence but Mercedes seemed to understand anyway.

Mercedes’ angelic features scrunched up with concern and she wrapped her arms around the crying woman. “Oh Byleth… It’s okay – it’s okay, I’m here…” She murmured against her ear.

Byleth latched onto her, burying her face into the silken collar, she quite liked Mercedes’ hugs – they were warm, tight and she felt so safe. “I-I’m sorry…” She mumbled, voice breaking as tears continued to fall.

“No – don’t apologise… It’s not your fault, I’m here to help you. You’re so strong for trying to do this on your own.”

Byleth pulled away first and gave a small attempt at a wobbly smile, Mercedes returned the smile – yet hers was genuine and kind.

“Thank you… Again, Mercie.”

“I’m happy to always help you, Byleth dear. Now! Sit down, I need to heal the bruising – goddess knows what Sylvain will think It is!” Mercedes said with a swift roll of her eyes, fluttering her eyelashes to make Byleth snicker.

“A hickey?”

Mercedes snorted, “He’s most likely never seen one in his life!”

Byleth chuckled but halted, she raised her eyebrows at Mercedes, “And… You have?”

“I… No – of course not… Dedue is too much of a gentleman…” Mercedes’ skin flushed a soft pink and the sight bewildered Byleth.

The green haired woman gazed at her with wide eyes, “_Dedue?_”

“Yes… More so after you disappeared –“ Mercedes frowned, “—I was so heartbroken to find out he…” She stopped herself, bitting her lip.

Byleth placed a reassuring hand on the older woman’s shoulder, “Mercie… Personally I don’t think Dedue is dead.”

Mercedes jerked her head up, “W-What do you mean…?”

“Well… Dimitri doesn’t exactly know he’s dead, he just thinks he is. We can’t rule out the possibility that he might still be alive. Keep praying for him Mercie, I am sure he can hear your prayers.”

Mercedes smiled shyly, her cheeks tinged a darker red, it was adorable to see her get so flustered over a quiet man like Dedue – yet it seemed like a sweet match.

Byleth sat down on the wooden chair, feeling Mercedes’ soft hands prod at the sensitive skin of her neck. Byleth winced when Mercedes pressed too hard on a certain spot, making the healer grimace.

“It’s just bruising… Thank goddess… It’ll take some time to heal fully – but I can at least quicken the process.” She started to heal the bruising, watching as the colours changed. “Now! Straight to bed, I don’t want you up and about quite yet. You need sleep.”

“But –!”

Mercedes shook her head, humming “Doctor’s orders!”

Byleth sighed softly but gave Mercedes an actual smile, “_Thank you_.”

***

_“Mother, you cannot be serious – Nemesis will use you; he does not love you.” The voice is feminine yet cold, and Byleth swears she’s heard the voice before. Rhea? _

_No, it is not. Whoever this woman is, is a warrior – adorned in silken clothes and golden armour – she is radiant. She stands with another, one who is much taller and has an aura that can only be described as incredibly powerful and beautiful. The taller woman wears layers of silk, ties that coil around her and large pointed ears that peak out from her dark green bangs. Her eyes are doe-like but also mature – her face reminds her of someone. _

_The taller woman speaks and Byleth’s eyes widen, “Serios, my child – Nemesis will not use me, I have seen his heart… My heart will always belong to him – you cannot change that.” _

_Serios and Sothis._

_This woman must be Sothis or was Sothis before somehow, she became a tiny gremlin in Byleth’s brain. She is gorgeous, and the sight makes Byleth flustered and nervous. They do not notice her and she’s grateful because her hair is most likely a mess and she’s in nothing but a sheer nightgown. _

_Serios clenched her fists by her side, “Mother, I love you and I don’t want to see you hurt by some pathetic mortal! You must understand that I only want the best for you.”_

_Sothis exhales, her shoulders tense and she pursed her lips – Byleth smiles at the sight because it’s a familiar expression. “My child, I love you too. If Nemesis will betray me and your siblings, then I know you will be the one to avenge me.” _

_“M-Mother…” Serios frowned and leaned up, pressing a chaste kiss to her mother’s cheek. “… Of course, I will have his head if he—”_

_Serios paused as her mother placed her finger to her lips, halting her words. “Thank you darling. Please – go tend to the people at once.”_

_Serios bowed, pale green hair slipping over her shoulders. “As you wish, Mother.” And with that, the woman turned swiftly and left the garden. _

_Sothis picked a single rose from the bush, and Byleth hadn’t realised they’d been talking in what similarly looked like the greenhouse from the monastery. _

_“Byleth dear, please come forward.” _

_Byleth eye’s widened and she yelped with Sothis’ large eyes focused on hers. She walked forward, standing just before the tall woman. It was strange to see her in this form. _

_“Sothis…” She murmured softly, feeling emotional._

_“It seems you’re connect to my memories… You’ve somehow accessed them through your dreams.” _

_“How – I don’t understand….” _

_Sothis shrugged lightly, her green eyes sparkling, “I am unsure, but I am glad to see you again… I missed you – we are connected… Yet it is not the same…”_

_Byleth felt her bottom lip tremble, “I love you.”_

_Sothis smiled sweetly, “I love you too.”_

_Byleth wiped her eyes and extended her arms out, “You’re so tall now, and so pretty – what – ah!”_

_Byleth yelped as Sothis lightly smacked her arm, a teasing grin on the goddess’ lips. _

_“This is my true form… Before Nemesis was possessed….” She murmured, a crestfallen expression on her pretty face._

_“Did… Did you really love him?” Byleth asked and Sothis nodded._

_“Yes, and he returned my affections – my daughter Serios did not agree with it… I think, she was afraid I would stop loving her.”_

_Byleth chewed the inside of her cheek, “Serios is Rhea, isn’t she?” _

_Sothis bobbed her head, long green strands coiling around her arms, “Yes… She is.”_

_Byleth mulled over her thoughts, she felt small next to the tall woman, she had no idea what to ask her._

_“I… I’m so lost and worried… I don’t know what to do anymore….” Byleth was forced into Sothis’ chest as the goddess embraced her, Byleth fell into the warmth._

_“You love Dimitri… Don’t you?”_

_Byleth nodded against the woman’s neck, “Y-Yes… I do, I love Dimitri.” She confessed aloud, swearing her non-beating heart was fluttering wildly in her chest._

_Sothis rested her chin atop the smaller woman’s head, “Then… Follow him and love him. I know you feel sad, but I believe the lost child returns your love.”_

_Byleth felt her skin flush and buried her face deeper into Sothis’ neck, “Please don’t leave me.”_

_Byleth felt Sothis press a kiss to her green hair, “I am always there, Byleth – I never left.”_

Byleth jolted upright, her eyes opening as she reached out, calling for Sothis. Her body trembled and she sighed deeply. She’s wide awake and she knows that it’s late, how long had she slept for since she spoke to Mercedes? She’s unsure but she wants to visit the cathedral, wants to feel closer to Sothis in any way possible.

***

“Even though its in ruins, in some strange way, the monastery never truly changes, does it?” Rodrigue spoke up beside her. “I studied at the Officer’s Academy when I was young. Those memories come rushing back whenever I return.”

Byleth is startled by the sudden noise, she had been so lost in her thoughts that she hadn’t heard anybody else enter the cathedral.

When Byleth didn’t respond, Rodrigue continued, “What are you doing here at this hour, anyway?”

“I couldn’t sleep.” It was true but she had many thoughts spiralling in her mind and couldn’t go back to sleep. She missed Sothis and she had finally voiced her feelings for Dimitri, even if it was in dream.

Rodrigue nodded, “It’s the same for me… Perhaps you’ll allow me to join you?”

“Of course, I like talking to you.” She stated and Rodrigue smiled at her words.

“Much appreciated, professor –“

“—Byleth, please – call me Byleth.”

Rodrigue corrected his sentence, “Much appreciated, Byleth.” The dark-haired man crossed his arms over his chest. “… I keep recalling my eldest son… He was quite gifted. In fact, he was appointed a knight at the age of fifteen. I still vividly remember the day he was granted a sword from his majesty…”

“Ingrid still speaks fondly of him.” Byleth said, smiling softly.

Rodrigue hummed, “Indeed… Glenn was madly in love with her.” He chuckled softly but his lips dipped into a frown. “I still can’t believe he was killed nine years ago in Duscar. All that returned of him that day were his sword and his armour… After it happened, I said something horrible to Felix. He’s hated me ever since… I don’t blame him.”

“Have you apologised to Felix? I know it won’t be easy but… You should at least try and praise him for him not because he helped with Dimitri.”

Rodrigue stared at her and raised his eyebrow, “You’re sure that this… You know my son better than I do…” He murmured.

Byleth shook her head, “I’m observant of people.”

“Hmm, I remember you said something similar when you helped my son and I… I wondered if there was something between the two of you.”

Byleth laughed, “No, Felix holds his affections for another… And I…”

Rodrigue smiled softly at the thought of his son finding someone, he adverted her gaze briefly before looking back. “May I ask… A personal question?”

The woman blinked widely at him, “I… I guess?” She was unsure.

“Do you love His Highness?” Rodrigue asked, “It can be in anyway, but…”

She was surprised by his question, but she felt a strong desire to tell him. “Yes, I do – I believe I have for a while now…”

A tender smile adorned the older man’s face, “I thought so… Thank you for telling me. You remind me so much of Amelia and Dimitri is a spitting image of Lambert…”

Byleth furrowed her brow at the unfamiliar name, “Amelia?” She parroted.

“Yes, Dimitri’s birthmother. She was a strong and powerful woman; she always held a presence in a room. Perhaps that’s why Lambert fell in love…” Rodrigue frowned at the thought of his dear friend, “No matter how much you grieve, the dead will never return. No magic in the world can bring them back… That’s why their memory clings to the living like a curse.”

Byleth immediately thought of her father and she felt incredibly lonely without her father by her side. She wished she had spoken to him more, told him that she loved him more – that she was so thankful for everything he ever did for her. However, she knew he must be happy with her mother in heaven. Perhaps they had even met Dimitri’s parents or Glenn.

“The more they were loved, the tighter their hold, and the more suffering they caused… I fear I am not a strong enough man to scold His Highness for his foolishness.”

She knew that feeling all too well… “I feel the same way… I have tried so hard and I don’t believe it helps in anyway, I think it just makes him angrier…”

Rodrigue chuckled, “Mm… Perhaps it’s because he knows you speak the truth?” He paused and placed a hand on Byleth’s shoulder. “Byleth, I entrust the young prince, and the future of Faerghus, to you.”

Byleth smiled warmly, “I won’t let you down, Rodrigue.”

“You’re a brave one, aren’t you? One worthy of leading the Church of Serios or… The Kingdom, I daresay.”

Byleth felt heat tickle her cheeks at the implication of his words and looked away almost flustered.

“You should know that I have no intention of insisting that you take back Fhirdiad… All that I ask is that you continue to rein in Dimitri’s manic desire for revenge.” He smiled, “We have finally received House Riegan’s consent, all that’s left is for us to depart. If we make it through Gloucester territory and across the Great Bridge of Myrddin, we’ll be in Empire territory. You’re not afraid, are you?”

“Just a little…” She said, smiling when Rodrigue chortled.

“No need to worry. Don’t you underestimate the power of my soldiers.” Rodrigue teased, “I’m glad you were the one to lead the Blue Lion House, Byleth… I truly mean that.”


	11. Dedue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I see. Has she been keeping you safe?” Dedue asked, and the question confused Byleth – perhaps she shouldn’t be listening in on their conversation, but she was intrigued.
> 
> “I… Byleth…” Dimitri spoke her name so reverently that she felt her skin flush – she had never heard her name said like that before. “…Yes, she has.”

The Great Bridge of Myrddin was huge and made of large grey stone, it was incredibly beautiful against the midday sun. The blue of the water contrasted with the slate grey and if they weren’t supposed to be going into battle, Byleth would have spent more time admiring the view.

Byleth stood with Gilbert and Dimitri, she hadn’t spoken to her former student since he had almost choked her to death. She didn’t particularly _want _to either, she was confused about her feelings. She was irritated, hurt, sorrowful and tired. Byleth also now knew she _loved _Dimitri, she had admitted it to Sothis and Rodrigue, but she wasn’t sure exactly what type of love she felt for the man. She knew she loved him as a friend and as a student, yet more than that was hazy. She’d never loved someone romantically; she’d never even kissed someone before. Jeralt had always been by her side, giving anyone who came near his precious daughter the stink eye. Byleth evidently never exactly felt the desire to kiss someone either, not until Dimitri – he was a stunning man, she’d never seen someone so beautiful in her life. She wondered if perhaps she was _in love _with him or she had been – however she blinked away her thoughts, Gilbert was talking and had no idea what he was blabbering on about.

“Our scout has returned. As expected, there are quite a few Imperial soldiers stationed there.” Gilbert uttered.

Dimitri’s spoke and Byleth had to stop herself from shivering at the gravely tone. “I see. So, the enemy has prepared for our arrival.” He shifted his gaze to Byleth’s, “It matters not. I will kill them all, whether they are one or one hundred.”

She scrunched her face up, “You cannot accomplish something like that Dimitri, you are just one man. You’re going to push yourself too hard… Please, don’t say such things.”

He cocked his head to the side, raising a slender brow, “What would you do, if you saw the people who stole everything from you? If you saw them right before your eyes, living carefree lives and feeling no guilt. Would you feel _nothing_? Do _nothing?” _

Byleth doesn’t like his almost mocking tone, she especially doesn’t like where this is going, and she has to clench her fists by her side to stop herself from being rash.

“Five years ago… Did you not deem the woman who killed Jeralt to be unforgivable?” Dimitri smirks, “I am most certain that you did. You couldn’t let her get away with her crime, so you took your sword in pursuit.”

Byleth feels moisture collect in her eyes and blinks it away, her jaw clenching together that she swears it click. “_Shut up! _Don’t you _dare_ speak a word about my _father,_ Dimitri!” She rebuked; her voice harsh – she didn’t mean to yell but she’s so fucking tired of being pushed away. “_Yes, _I chased after her, I didn’t _kill _her though – I tried so damn hard to, but I couldn’t because I know my father wouldn’t want me to! I love my father and you’re so _horrible!_” She’s crying now and she _hates it, “_Dimitri, did you forget that I’ve been asleep for five years?! That wound is still fresh! _How could you?!_ _–“ _Byleth raises her fist but is grabbed from behind by two pairs of hands, she yelps and looks up, meeting Sylvain and Felix’s concerned gazes. She whimpered softly and hung her shoulders, she can’t even bare to look at Dimitri.

Felix squeezes his former professor’s shoulder, “You’re wasting your time. There’s nothing to be gained from exchanging words with a boar that has lost its mind.” He snaps, eyes narrowed. “This is war. Every last one of us has lost someone we care for. So, don’t fucking blame Byleth.”

Byleth sobs softly and leans into Sylvain’s touch when he rubs her arm gingerly, his cinnamon-coloured eyes focused intently on Felix. She lifts her gaze slowly to Dimitri’s and she’s _shocked, _he looks frustrated and upset with himself. Byleth wishes he would just apologise but she knows he won’t, or he can’t, and she just has to accept this guilty expression he wears.

Felix continues, his husky tone echoing in her ear. “But we all choose to suppress our anger and grief and go right on living. Do you know why?”

“Because it’s fucking pointless.” Sylvain answers from her other side, his lips clamped tight and brow knit together.

“Exactly. All the boar is accomplishing is stacking up more corpses.” Felix scoffed.

Dimitri speaks and Byleth ducks at his tone, “Tell me, Felix… If the dead are beyond reach, is it not also pointless to mourn or even bury those who are lost?”

Felix snorted, “You son of a bitch,” he shook his head and looked down at Byleth’s watery gaze. “Remember, Byleth. Its not compassion for this fool that has brought our army so far. There are those of us who despise the Empire, and those who side with the church.” He shifted his eyes back to Dimitri, “If we keep running down this path, it’s only a matter of time before the ground beneath us collapses.”

“_That is quite enough, Felix.” _Rodrigue hissed, causing them all to jerk their heads in his direction. He glanced at Byleth and his eyes widened at the silvery trails down her cheeks, “What happened?”

Sylvain winked, “Felix and I were just about to escort our darling professor away. _Good bye, _Your Highness.”

Dimitri narrowed his eyes at Sylvain before they shifted to Byleth’s, he looked like he wanted to say something but Byleth adverted his penetrating gaze. She let Felix and Sylvain pull here away from the group.

“Byleth, I’ll come collect you when we’re ready then.” Rodrigue replied, his lips forming a frown as he quickly turned to Gilbert and Dimitri.

Byleth was unsure what they were talking about but whatever it was, it was making Dimitri angry. She ignored them, her eyes casted forward.

Sylvain whistled, “Wow, Byleth – were you really going to punch Dimitri? That’s quite hot, not going to lie.”

Byleth snickered as she wiped her eyes to rid them of drying tears.

Felix made a gagging noise, “Only you could find assault attractive. Even if the boar deserved it –“ He grinned, patting the girl’s back proudly.

Sylvain shrugged, “It was good to see Byleth stand up for herself…. Felix told me what Dimitri did to you, you shouldn’t have to keep that to yourself.”

Byleth’s eyes widened and she quickly glanced at Felix who looked pissed.

Felix punched Sylvain in the shoulder and the redhead gasped lewdly, “_Felix!_”

“Don’t say my name like that you weirdo! Fucken hell…” Felix grunted, scrunching his face up in disgust.

Byleth laughed genuinely, “Heavens, so romantic Felix.” She teased and she found devilish glee to see his skin flush.

Sylvain hummed and bumped her shoulder, “I know right? Man… Felix treats me – Agh! Felix, I was joking—!”

The woman smiled sweetly, and she patted Felix’s arm. “It’s okay if you told Sylvain. I told Mercedes all about it, I… Just… It’s hard.”

“Because it’s Dimitri?” Sylvain guessed and she bobbed her head.

“Because it’s Dimitri… I just, I care too much about him, so I don’t blame him for acting this way…” She shook her head quickly, “I don’t really feel like talking about it anymore…”

“All good. Make sure you come to us; we can help.” Felix reassured.

Byleth’s smile widened and she leant up to press a kiss to her former student’s cheeks. “Thank you, both – so much.”

Felix looked terribly flustered and Sylvain was grinning widely, pearly whites shining. “Woah, Felix – if only your kiss- Agh! Okay, sorry – was just teasing…”

***

Dedue had come back. _Dedue. _The man that Dimitri had said had perished five years ago. Dedue, the man who Mercedes was madly in love with. The man who was a gentle giant and incredibly kind to Byleth.

Dedue is back and Dimitri is c_rying. _The blonde-haired man is hugging his dear friend so tightly that its surprising that Dedue’s armour somehow doesn’t break. Byleth can only watch the two and she feels a sharp pang of _j_ealousy because Dimitri hadn’t reacted this way when she had returned - he had been angry and violent.

_Not like this. _

“Dedue! Why… H-how are you here…? You died… Five years ago...” Dimitri mumbles, pulling away to look at the taller man.

“I was saved by my brothers. Men of Duscur.” Dedue’s voice is somehow deeper and it’s a comforting sound.

“Those people you were with… They were of Duscur? And they saved you..?” Dimitri was puzzled.

“Your Highness. I asked that you fulfil your long-held desire, did I not?” Dedue nods, “Allow me to once again act as your sword and shield. Please, let me witness your triumph. I want to behold the moment your wish is finally granted.”

Dimitri pulled away, crossing his arms over his chest. “Dedue… Of course.” He spoke softly, “And in exchange, I ask that you swear something to me, here and now… Do not throw your life away again. Understood?”

His words seem to shock Dedue as the man quickly bows. “Of course, Your Highness…” Dedue paused, “How did you find the professor?”

Dimitri scoffed, “Stubborn woman – she found me.”

“I see. Has she been keeping you safe?” Dedue asked, and the question confused Byleth – perhaps she shouldn’t be listening in on their conversation, but she was intrigued.

“I… Byleth…” Dimitri spoke her name so reverently that she felt her skin flush – she had never heard her name said like that before. “…Yes, she has.”

Dedue seemed pleased with the answer, “Your Highness, I am going to go greet the others. I shall return to you soon.” He bowed again and started to walk away but stopped as his eyes landed on Byleth. “Professor.” He murmured.

Byleth sighed when she had been caught out. She walked closer to the two, she gave Dedue a warm smile. “It’s good to see you Dedue.” She said, touching his arm gently. “Oh – Mercie was looking for you… That was my main reason for coming over here.”

Byleth wanted to giggle at the small blush that coated the stoic man’s face. He placed a warm hand on her shoulder, “Thank you for protecting His Highness.”

Byleth blushed from his words. “I haven’t done much, Dedue but… You’re welcome.” She watched the large man walk away. She turned to face Dimitri who was already staring at her.

“How much did you hear?” He asked and Byleth walked closer.

“Enough.” She said with a shrug, “I’m sorry for yelling at you before, I was just…” She trailed off, adverting his gaze.

Dimitri spoke, “You and I are alike, Byleth… I didn’t intend to – I just wanted you to understand…”

“I know and I do. I might not understand fully, Dimitri but… I am here – to at least help you in some way…”

Dimitri didn’t reply, his body turned away from her now, the two fell into a comfortable silence and Byleth followed his gaze to the bridge.

Dimitri broke the silence first, “Idiots. Embracing death for the sake of that woman. Truly foolish…”

Byleth frowned at his change of topic but she followed along, “What is troubling you?”

He shook his head, “I… I don’t know…” Dimitri seemed conflicted.

Byleth placed her hand on his arm, “Do you regret killing them?”

His eyes drifted to her touch, but he didn’t remove her hand. “They were just beasts with human faces. I had no choice but to kill them, and so I did. That… That is all there is to it.”

His words were surprising, and she gripped his arm a little tighter, she was going to speak but at the sound of footsteps she pulled away.

Rodrigue raised his brow at the two of them and their proximity. He sighed gently; he was glad they were still able to be civil with each other. “It’s about time you two returned. We must discuss our next course of action.”

Dimitri headed off first, walking ahead of Rodrigue and Byleth. Byleth slide her hand down her face, she needed to sleep – her body ached, and she swore blisters had formed on the palm of her right hand.

“Did His Highness apologise?” Rodrigue’s voice was low.

Byleth blinked owlishly and glanced at Dimitri, she pursed her lips. “In his own way, I think he was sorry…”

Rodrigue had a satisfied smile on his lips, “That’s good. He was extremely angry with himself when I asked what happened.”

She felt a smile appear on her own face. “Dimitri…” She paused as her eyes caught onto something peculiar. “Rodrigue, Dimitri… What’s going on over there?”

A young woman with ash-coloured hair and pale blue eyes was arguing with one of their knights, her shrill voice was making the large knight panic.

“Please! I need to join you, no matter the cost!”

The man shook his head, “I’m sorry, but my hands are tied…”

Byleth, Dimitri and Rodrigue walked over, “By the goddess! What’s with all this commotion?” The dark-haired man asked. “What is this girl doing here? This is an army, not an orphanage.”

The girl’s eyes shifted over to Dimitri and her eyes widened, she looked either shocked or horrified. Byleth narrowed her eyes, something didn’t sit right with this girl. S_he reminded her of someone…_

The knight answered, “I believe she’s from a nearby village. She keeps insisting that she needs to join our ranks.”

Rodrigue’s tone was sharp, “And you thought we could use a child on the front lines? Hurry up and take her back to her parents.”

The girl shook her head, bottom lip trembling. “My family is gone. I don’t have anywhere else to go. Please! I can use magic and I can fight! I can cook, do laundry, anything!”

Byleth scrunched her face up, “Why are you so fixated on joining our army?”

The girl’s eyes shone with determination, “I need… To get revenge. I must strike down the one who murdered my big brother.”

Rodrigue grimaced and looked towards Dimitri. “What should we do with her, Your Highness?”

“Let her do as she pleases.” Dimitri replied, he didn’t seem to care either way.

The girl smirked, “Thank you so much!”

***

The meeting room is cluttered with Byleth, her students, Gilbert and Rodrigue. Byleth can hear the rain pelt down on the windows and the wind that is so strong that it could possibly send the monastery flying.

Gilbert stated, “We have received a report from our spy. It would seem the Empire is gathering troops at Fort Merceus. This is undoubtly in response to us taking the Great Bridge of Myrddin. Their numbers are more than double ours. We believe that the emperor herself may be leading them...”

Byleth threw a curious glance at Dimitri to gage his reaction, he merely returned her stare, his brow knitted together.

Gilbert continued. “If House Riegan can reconcile with House Gloucester sooner than later… Then Claude can proceed with his plan to rally the Alliance lords, gather troops and invade Empire territory.”

“At this rate, three military forces will be clashing at Gronder field.” Rodrigue said with a thoughtful gaze.

Byleth spoke aloud, “Just like five years ago…”

Dimitri narrowed his eyes at her, “If you wish to indulge in nostalgia, do it elsewhere.”

Byleth huffed but didn’t reply, she didn’t want to argue with him again.

Rodrigue sighed, “I’m afraid the difference in military strength is far from negligible. While we are elite soldiers, I am still uneasy about this…”

Gilbert hummed, agreeing with Rodrigue’s words. “If possible, I’d like to request reinforcements right away. If we can rely on any of the major Kingdom houses for support, it would be… House Charon, I’d wager.”

“Why exactly them?” Byleth questioned.

“House Charon has yet to declare fealty to the Empire… I will send word at once. I am certain they will corporate.”

Byleth nodded. “We’re counting on you, Gilbert.”

“I suppose that is all we can do for now.”

“So it would seem. Though if there are any other avenues worth exploring, I would suggest… “ Rodrigue trailed off.

“Allying with the Alliance. Claude will help us – I know he will...” Byleth finished.

Gilbert agreed with her, “Ah, good point. We have no reason to engage the Alliance directly.”

“Hm. Even if we do receive Count Charon’s aid, we still won’t have enough troops to face the Empire.” Rodrigue added.

Byleth grasped her chin in thought, “But… If we join forces with Alliance, then our numbers will rival the Empire’s. We have to join them.”

“Agreed. It’s about the only thing we can do.” Gilbert uttered. “For now, let’s send a messenger, and try to figure out what the Alliance hopes to achieve.”

“It’s hard to believe this decisive battle will take place at Gronder field… I imagine that place is full of memories for all of you.” Rodrigue murmured.

Mercedes smiled, tapping her bottom lip. “We won the Battle of the Eagle and Lion back in the day. It seems like a lifetime ago…”

Ashe frowned from his place beside her, “I can’t help but remember, even though I wish I didn’t.”

Ingrid spoke softly, “Our feast after the battle… I remember it well. We had so much fun together.”

Annette protested, shaking her head. “No! Please, stop it. I had finally put all that out of my mind! This isn’t right… They’re our friends… We used to study together; we shouldn’t be fighting them.”

Sylvain smirked and quirked his brow, “Why not march up to Her Majesty and remind her of that? Oh, that’s right… Because you want to live to see tomorrow.” He said sarcastically, Felix rolled his eyes.

Dedue placed his hand on Mercedes’ back. “No matter who the enemy is, I will fight for His Highness.”

Felix spoke up, “Tell me boar prince. Do we stand a chance?”

Dimitri shrugged, “Who knows…”

Felix furrowed his brow at his vague answer. “If we lose, we’ll have died for you. I hope you know that.” He reprimanded.

Byleth sighed softly, digging her teeth into her bottom lip. “We won’t lose, Felix. I know we won’t…”

Dimitri exhaled, “Make your peace before we depart. It’s kill or be killed out there. We will cross blades with the Empire, but it’s possible we will also have to strike down the Alliance.”

“Do you… Do you feel no hesitation to kill your former friends, Dima?” Byleth questioned and Dimitri tensed at her nickname.

He collected himself quickly, smirking wildly, “I am used to killing familiar faces by now...”


	12. Flowers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Byleth pressed her lips together and wiggled her eye brows, causing Annette to snort loudly. 
> 
> Annette smacked her teacher lightly on the arm. “I’m just saying…” She rolled her eyes. “…Have a little faith.”

The Greenhouse is booming with life, all kinds of flowers are growing and it’s a very pretty sight. Byleth has always loved flowers and she knows her mother loved them too – even her father. Byleth especially loves them for making tea and she still finds making chamomile the most soothing. Perhaps its because she knows its Dimitri’s favourite or maybe it’s due to the daisy-like flower being her favourite because of its mild scent.

Dedue is busy watering the daffodils and Byleth feels a sense of nostalgia as she watches the man. It’s comforting to have him around again and Dimitri seems happier whenever he’s near.

“Professor. Are you going to make tea?” Dedue asked suddenly and Byleth yelped, nearly dropping the freshly plucked flowers.

She sighed and bobbed her head after she had regained her breath. “Yes, for Dimitri… It might help him to relax before the big battle.” She said with a smile.

The man of Duscar smiled, causing the scars on his face to stretch. “I am sure His Highness will appreciate it.”

Byleth shrugged and twirled the stem of a daisy between her fingers, “I hope so… Perhaps I should get you to give it to him instead? Dimitri is happier with you.”

Dedue shook his head and placed the watering can down on the edge of a flower bed. He walked over to where Byleth was sitting and sat beside her. Even sitting, the man towered over her. “No. His Highness prefers your tea. He always has.”

Byleth blinked and felt the apples of her cheeks redden, “Oh? When did he tell you that?” She inquired.

“Before the war. His Highness cannot taste anything, he suffers from Ageusia. However, he still believes he can taste your teas and sweets.”

Byleth’s eyes widened and she frowned deeply, hunching her shoulders as she leant forward. She chewed her bottom lip, hating that she could feel the sting behind her eyes. “So… Dimitri couldn’t taste anything and yet he still said my food is amazing?”

Dedue closed his eyes and gave her a small smile as he nodded. Byleth exhaled sharply through her nose and wiped her eyes. She let out a watery laugh, sniffing to stop snot falling from her nose. “He’s still a nice person, under all that hatred… Isn’t he?”

“Mm… High Highness has always been a kind person. That is why I will help him with his dream.” Dedue stated, opening his eyes to look at her.

She felt her bottom lip tremble and sat up straight. “I… I don’t – I don’t want to be hurt again.”

Dedue plucked a white flower from the garden, Blyeth scrunched her face up as she tried to remember the name of it.

_Calla Lily. _

“Ashe told me that there was once a village where knights would wear white flowers for good luck.” Dedue placed the flower behind her ear. “I am sorry, that His Highness hurt you. I am sure he feels guilty for the pain he has caused.”

Byleth’s lips formed a gentle smile and she gingerly touched the petals of the flower. “Thank you Dedue, it’s good to have you back.”

Dedue nodded, “Of course, professor. I will protect His Highness and you.”

She gaped at him before she chuckled, “Me? Dedue, I’ll be fin—”

“—If not for your sake. Then for His Highness. He would be distraught to lose you a second time.”

Byleth narrowed her eyes and looked down at the flowers in her hand. “What exactly happened…? You were there, weren’t you?”

A solemn expression took over his face and he laced his fingers in his lap. “His Highness blamed the emperor for taking you as well. He spent weeks searching for you. His Highness lost himself. My disappearance caused harm to His Highness as well…”

Byleth placed a reassuring hand on Dedue’s arm, “Dimitri does not blame you, he once told me that he thought of you as his older brother. I’m sure he still feels that way.”

Dedue’s turquoise eye’s widened with shock and a miniscule smile adorned his lips. “Thank you, professor. His Highness does not blame you either. You are very important to him.”

Byleth fiddled with her green strands, she was really grateful for Dedue’s return. He was truly the only person who understood Dimitri – perhaps that was why she had felt jealous at their reunion. She hadn’t been with Dimitri for as nearly as long as Dedue. Byleth didn’t know everything about the young prince, but she would do her best to simply listen to Dimitri. It was all she could do at this point.

***

Byleth watched the water boil over the stove, it was always relaxing to make tea. She wondered if her mother also liked to make tea, perhaps that was why she loved flowers so. Byleth twisted the flowers in her hand and smelled them, a smile forming on her face.

“Oh! Byleth, are you making tea again?” A feminine voice called from behind her.

Byleth turned around and her smile widened as Annette walked closer, her ocean-blue eyes gleaming with the chance to help her former teacher.

Byleth chuckled and threw her a small wave, “Indeed I am. Would you like to help me?”

Annette nodded and walked with a bounce in her step, she stopped beside Byleth and gaped at the pretty white flower behind her ear.

“How pretty! Why do you have a flower in your hair?” The orange-haired girl asked.

Byleth touched the flower, she had forgotten about the plant behind her ear, she winked. “Dedue gave it to me – said it used to be a custom in a village for good luck.”

Annette squealed and grinned widely, “That’s so romantic, we should all wear them for the next battle! Hmm… Who should I give a flower too?”

Byleth snorted, “We had Ferdinand and Lorenz join our army after the last battle, you could give a flower to one of them.”

Annette blanched and shook her head. “Heavens no…I would rather give one to Linhardt…” She murmured softly, skin turning a light pink and Byleth’s eyes widened in shock.

“_Linhardt_…? Why- oh… Really?” The green-haired woman quirked a brow in surprise.

“Yes… I spent some time with Linhardt during those five years you were gone. He wanted to join us… But Edelgard…” Annette frowned and shrugged. “We’ll see what happens at Gronder.”

Byleth placed a hand on Annette’s shoulder, “You should ask him to join us, I’m sure if you tell him why…”

Annette looked at Byleth with her doe-like eyes. “Are you – do you _really_ believe so?”

Byleth nudged the girl with her arm and grabbed one of the spare flowers, she placed it in the woman’s hands. “I know so and this will give you good luck.” She reassured.

“I… _Thank you_ Byleth, you always know what to say… I pray I can convince him – he means a lot to _me_.”

Byleth blushed and hugged the smaller woman, she squeezed her when Annette returned the embrace.

Annette pulled away first and tucked the flower behind her ear. “So, who are you making chamomile tea for?” She asked almost slyly and Byleth huffed.

“Dimitri because he needs to feel relaxed for the next battle. “ She answered.

Annette hummed, leaning against the table as she watched Byleth mix the flowers and water together. “I see… Do you think he’ll accept it?”

Byleth exhaled through her nose and gave her an unimpressed look. “Probably not but I’d still like to try.”

“I think he will.” Annette spoke as she handed the sugar over to Byleth.

“_Oh_, and what makes you so sure?” Byleth teased, a light smirk on her plump lips.

Annette gave her a cheeky wink, “Because its _you_.”

Byleth furrowed her brow, “He’ll throw my favourite tea cup away because its _me_.”

“No, no, no. Dimitri will take it, maybe he’ll thank you – your hands will touch…” Annette trailed off, cupping her face between her hands.

“Have you been reading those raunchy novels again, Annie?”

“What?! No, of course not!” Annette retorted, face almost darker than her hair.

Byleth pressed her lips together and wiggled her eye brows, causing Annette to snort loudly.

Annette smacked her teacher lightly on the arm. “I’m just saying…” She rolled her eyes. “…Have a little faith.”

***

The tea is warm in her hands, steam protrudes from the liquid and spirals upwards. The fragrance of the tea calms her and it is extremely odd to find Dimitri in the dining hall. The sun is slowly setting, casting orange light through the glass windows. Dimitri and she are the only ones in there, sometimes the cooks make an appearance – preparing for dinner with the rations that are left in the monastery. Yet it is just the two of them, Dimitri is sitting at the table in the far corner and his fingers pick at the wood.

Byleth takes a deep breath in and walks over, she quickly sets the teacup down in front of him. Her action causes him to lift his head and look at her. She smiles in return and sits in the chair across from him.

“Chamomile tea… It’s your favourite.” She stated.

Dimitri stared down at the cup, he scrunched his face and picked It up. Byleth grimaced and ducked away, worried that he was going to chuck it somewhere or at her – yet. He simply brought it to his lips and drank from it.

“_Warm.” _He murmured softly and placed it down on the table. He fluttered his eye to her, “Why?”

She blinked owlishly and swallowed before speaking. Byleth wasn’t expecting him to act this way with her. “Uh… We’ll e fighting Edelgard this week and… I just wanted you to feel relaxed for it.”

He huffed and shook his head. “Waste of time.” He said but still sipped at the tea. His eyes drifted upwards and he stared at the flower by her ear. “What is that?”

“Hm…?” Byleth reached up and touched the flower, “Oh, it’s a good luck flower, apparently they would give It to knights before an important battle. Annette thought it was romantic.” She said with a bemused roll of her eyes.

“Finding luck within a flower, hmph. I’ve heard stranger things.” Dimitri mocked and drank from his tea.

Byleth hummed and took the flower out from behind her ear and reached over to sip it behind Dimitri’s. Dimitri jerked away from her hand and grabbed it in response, he tightened his grip and squeezed it.

Byleth flushed and cocked her head to the side, “Do you want to hold my hand?” She asked bluntly, and she smirked when he let go of it immediately.

“_No.”_ He snapped at her and it amused her further.

She drifted her eyes to the flower behind his ear and grinned, “Dedue was right, I do feel quite lucky.” Byleth stood up and walked over to his side. Dimitri stared up at her, brow furrowed, and his skin flushed when she cupped his face. “Dedue and I will be right by your side when you defeat Edelgard. We’ll protect you.”

He scowled at her and his ears reddened, he pushed her hands away from his face and stood up quickly. “I do not care if you waste your life to protect min—

“—That’s not true, Dimitri and you know it.” She spoke softly, and Dimitri grunted as he grabbed the flower from his ear and placed it in her hands.

“_For luck.”_ He jeered and moved away from her. He left after that, leaving Byleth with a withering flower in her hands and an empty tea cup.

Perhaps Dedue was right, Dimitri had always been a kind person.


	13. The tragedy of Gronder Field

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “What is it you want to say, Teach? We are in the middle of a battle, you know?” Claude said, giving Byleth a flirtatious wink.

Byleth stares out at fields, pristine green grass dancing in the wind that she knows will be soiled with blood and corpses within the next hour. It’s nostalgic and memories resurface of their second win against the Black Eagles and Golden Deer. She can still remember the feast – it was delicious and Byleth nearly ate twice in her body weight. She even remembered Dimitri’s confession of how he thought she was emotionless – she wanted to laugh because _look at her now. _Byleth had almost punched the prince, she had cried multiple times and she now laughed and smiled freely. She knew it was because of her students but she swore it was all because of her loving father.

_Goddess, she missed him._

She wished he was here, to give her advice on what to do, how to help her students – how to stop a bloody war. Byleth rolled her shoulders back with a deep sigh – she could see the Empire’s and Alliance’s flags in the distance. They had so badly wanted the Alliance to side with them to fight against the Empire, but Claude had declined – in a morbid fashion. Yet, Byleth and Dimitri had agreed that it had been Edelgard instead who had brutally murdered their messenger. So, Byleth’s mission was to persuade Claude to join their cause – he was a smart man, incredibly so and even if Dimitri had told her it would be a waste of time… She had to try. She didn’t want to kill Claude or anyone she once knew. Ferdinand and Lorenz would have perished if Byleth hadn’t quickly made it to their side to ask them to join her.

Byleth watched her former students surround her and Dimitri, each adorning a white flower for good luck. Rodrigue and Glbert had also adorned white flowers, as did the Knights of Serios. It was even surprising to see a small daisy on Dimitri’s armour. It had to most likely be Dedue’s doing, and the thought made her smile. She touched the flower pinned to her coat, they would not survive the entire battle, but it still gave her hope that they would win.

Perhaps this could finally give Dimitri and his family peace.

Byleth turned her attention to Dimitri when his one eye narrowed, “Tch, that coward of a woman…” He grunted and tightened his grip on Areadbhar.

“What do you…?” Byleth squinted as she watched Edelgard’s army. _Dark mages. _Ones with black masks and armour that covered their entire bodies. They stood out against the rest of the troops – however what caught Byleth’s eye the most was the reason magic that blossomed in their hands. Her eyes widened, and she turned to their army, “Get down!” she shouted.

The fire rained down from the sky, hitting most of Claude’s soldiers and a few of their own. The fire spread across the grass, latching onto areas where it was drier.

“Know… That I will tear your heads from your shoulders… The dead must have their tribute.” Dimitri promised, he spoke softly for such dark words.

Byleth watched as Claude and Edelgard most likely rallied their own troops, their soldiers shouting their battle cries.

Dimitri turned to their army, “_Kill every last one of them!” _He cried, and his people returned it with a yell of their own. Dimitri turned towards the oncoming armies, “You have finally appeared, Edelgard… Now, you are mine!” He said with manic glee.

Byleth would take the left path with a few soldiers, while Dimitri would lead a larger troop on the right path towards Edelgard. She could see Rodrigue, Gilbert and Dedue following closely behind Dimitri, which set her worries at ease. She knew he would be safe with those three by his side.

Now, Byleth had her own mission. If she could either persuade Claude to join them or leave the battlefield, then she’ll have at least accomplished something. However, if Claude attacks her then she has no choice but to retaliate. Felix, Ashe and Mercedes were with her with their own small troops.

Byleth lead the group, cutting down soldiers with Felix as back up, Mercedes and Ashe provided range from behind. From her place on the battlefield she could see Dimitri’s group charge ahead, cutting down any who opposed them. Byleth quickly turned her head when she saw Bernadetta impaled by Ingrid’s lance, the weapon slicing through her abdomen. She swore she could hear the wet squelch as Ingrid ripped the lance out of her flesh.

Byleth had killed people nearly all her life and now… Well – it was hard when their faces had names.

Yet, Byleth couldn’t focus on that now, not when Claude was firing arrow after arrow on his great wyvern – the beast was huge and snapped at enemies or ripped them apart. It was ferocious and down-right terrifying. She needed his power on their side.

“_CLAUDE!” _Byleth screamed out his name, waving her hands to gain the Lord’s attention.

Her shout caused the man’s head to whip around to Byleth, his large green eyes bulged when he saw her. “Teach?!” He called back.

Byleth ran forward, stopping just as his wyvern landed in front of her. “I-I want to talk!” She spluttered out and she cursed her blank mind. She had no idea what she was going to say to persuade the man.

Claude unmounted his wyvern and held his bow in his left hand – it appeared to be a relic, similar to Dimitri’s lance. No wonder he was able to fire so many arrows. Byleth’s eyes shifted to a woman with long pink hair that quickly followed behind Claude, she giggled and waved at Byleth.

“Wow, professor! It’s great to see you!” Hilda said with a grin.

Claude quirked his brow at her. Byleth couldn’t believe she hadn’t noticed how old and mature he looked now with a beard and his hair pushed back. Claude was ridiculously good looking, more so now and his voice had deepened an octave lower. Byleth felt unsure what to say in return to his quizzical look.

“…Yes, however I wish it were different circumstances.” Byleth finally decided.

“What is it you want to say, Teach? We _are _in the middle of a battle, you know?” Claude said, giving Byleth a flirtatious wink.

Byleth cough to clear her throat, “Yes – I know. We had sent you a messenger to ask if you’d be willing to join us against the Empire – however, Edelgard intercepted that message… Claude – please join us or leave, Dimitri will cut you down if you don’t.”

Claude narrowed his eyes and shared a look with Hilda, before returning his gaze to the taller woman. “That’s a pretty ballsy move – especially out here and with Dimitri over there killing half my men.”

Hilda scrunched her brow up, “What do we gain in return?”

Byleth sighed deeply, she hated arguing with a tactician and his accomplice. “I… we’ll help you in return, Claude. You have my word.” She bowed deeply.

“Hm… Alright, Teach. We’ll retreat – I… I don’t want to lose any more of my men.” He raised his arm towards his army, “We’re retreating! The Empire is our enemy, not The Kingdom! Fall back now!” He yelled, Hilda repeated his words loudly.

The green haired woman felt a weight lifted off her shoulders at their agreement. She was glad it had gone somewhat smoothly.

Claude mounted his wyvern again and helped Hilda get on behind him, he looked towards Byleth. “_Thanks, Teach_ _a_nd good luck out there. You better keep your hold ”

Byleth smiled, “Of course. I’m sure we’ll see each other again.”

Byleth watched as The Alliance fled, Raphael had been the only other to survive, Ignatz, Lysithea and Leonie had perished by the Empire – their lifeless bodies almost embraced by the grass. The Alliance had already lost a tremendous number of soldiers. It was heartbreaking to see so many of her former students killed so easily.

Byleth turned to her group, “Now, let’s go help Dimitri take down Edelgard.” She spoke with a newfound resolve. They had to stop Edelgard and The Empire.

The small group ran across the fields, spotting their leader edging closer to the emperor, and Byleth was glad that her friends only suffered from minor wounds. She could help Annette and Mercedes heal those after the battle.

“Mercie! Ashe! Go and support Sylvain and Ingrid in taking down Hubert! Felix! Go and support Dedue and Gilbert in finishing off Petra!” Byleth shouted to her group and she watched as they all gave her a nod and branched off to follow her orders.

Byleth continued to run towards Dimitri, passing Annette and Rodrigue who were taking on paladins and armoured knights.

“Dimitri!” She called out to the blonde man and he jerked his head in her direction when he had finished decapitating an Empire soldier. Byleth came to a halt just in front of Dimitri, panting softly.

“_What?”_ Dimitri hissed at her, his eyes focusing on Edelgard who was waiting patiently, her lilac eyes gazing intently at the prince and professor.

Byleth ignored his sharp tone, “Claude has fled with The Alliance. I believe he is on our side… If we support them if they are attacked by The Empire.”

Dimitri looked at Byleth, his one eye widening a fraction. He touched her shoulder gently and the action was stiff and awkward – but it made Byleth’s stomach jitter.

“Good_ – now! _Let’s go _kill _Edelgard!” Dimitri snarled, and he tightened his grip on Byleth’s shoulder, “Remember. She’s my kill. “

Byleth nodded swiftly before the two of them made their way towards Edelgard, stopping just a couple of meters away.

Dimitri pointed Areadbhar at Edelgard as he spoke. “Stab your chest, break your neck, smash your head… I will allow you to choose your death.”

Edelgard narrowed her eyes, a tired scoff leaving her. “I am not interested in methods of dying. All that matters is when death takes place, not how.” She shook her head, sun glinting against her head piece. “I have no intention of dying here today, Dimitri. I have things I must accomplish – I _must succeed.” _

Dimitri laughed, the sound fake and hollow. “_You’re despicable, _Edelgard! I am sure all those you slaughtered thought the exact same!”

Byleth frowned softly at Edelgard, “Why are you doing this? What are your intentions for hurting so many?”

Edelgard’s pastel eyes shifted over the Byleth and the fondness in her eyes was baffling. “_Professor… _I so badly wanted you by my side… Yet – you picked the Blue Lions… If only you had made the _right _decision.”

“I _did_ make the right decision, Edelgard – I just don’t understand all this unnecessary bloodshed.” Byleth retorted, her green eyes as fierce as her words.

“I thought you would understand the most…” Edelgard exhaled, “I must purge this world of false gods – we do not need them! They enslave us with their _lies a_nd I will not let them cause more harm! If you get in my way, I will _cut you down!” _She screeched, charging forward with her axe – before Edelgard could land a hit, she was pushed back by Dimitri’s lance.

Byleth watched as the two fought, their weapons clashing together – although Edelgard was a formidable foe, Dimitri was _a lot _stronger, his blows could undoubtably shatter Edelgard’s arms if she wasn’t careful. Dimitri kicked her back and lunged forward with his lance, his weapon grazing her slide deeply and tearing her armour. Edelgard recoiled and clutched at her side, she grimaced and stumbled backwards.

“I_-I lost?!” E_delgard grunted and shifted her eyes to the field, staring at the bodies of her former friends. “I… I lost… I-I must retreat…” She turned quickly and ran, hurrying off.

Dimitri took a step forward to follow after but Byleth grabbed his arm, “You’re too weak and you’ll overexert yourself.”

“Tch… _Dammit.” D_imitri cursed softly.

***

“Ingrid… You need to be more careful out there, they could’ve ripped your arm clean off!” Byleth chastises as she heals the wound on Ingrid’s shoulder.

Ingrid chuckles and shakes her head, “I’m okay, Byleth… Thank you though…”

“It’s all good… And there! Make sure you get Mercie to check over it.” Byleth spoke and tapped the wound to make sure it was closed.

Ingrid smiled, “Of course, make sure you check on your own wounds too!” The blonde-haired woman walked away, making her way over to help Felix and Sylvain.

Byleth yawned, she’d been helping Annette and Mercedes with healing their soldiers. As well as Sylvain and Felix who were counting those they had lost and checking on soldiers who had survived.

_They’ve won_ but it still doesn’t feel like a victory for them. From where Byleth is, she can see Dimitri and Rodrigue conversing. She’s unsure what they’re talking about, but Dimitri seems angry due to his at furious arm gestures. Her eyes catch onto a small figure running up to Dimitri from behind, sword in hand. Byleth blinks owlishly at the maiden that had joined them after the last battle. She’s always had her doubts about her and she’s unsure what Rodrigue says to the girl. However, Byleth’s mouth falls open as the girl shoved her sword forward, the blade digging into Dimitri’s chest. The man stumbles forward, clutching at the sword that’s impaling his chest. Byleth can hear Rodrigue’s shout and she watches as he quickly kills the girl – cutting her down before Rordrigue catches Dimitri as he falls forward.

It happens so quickly that Byleth has no time to think, she feels her heart _break _and she stumbles forward because _no. _

No, no, no, _no, no, no, no! _There’s no _way Dimitri can just die now! _Here of all places and Byleth clutches at her chest. Her hands tremble and her eyes cloud with tears. She must do something, something to change this because Dimitri can’t die! He hasn’t achieved his dreams; hasn’t become the king he is meant to be.

The world shudders around her and throbs as she uses _DIVINE PULSE _– her mind spins and everything rewinds. Byleth can feel the trickle of blood that seeps down her nose towards her lips and the sharp ringing in her ears. The pain is _immense, _but she has to do this to save _Dimitri. _When she regains her senses, she’s watching Rodrigue and Dimitri speak to the girl – and she sees the girl push Dimitri to the ground. Byleth _runs, _drawing the Sword of The Creator out, because it’s somehow already different and she prays that she has made the right choice because it _has to be. _

“_Rodrigue!! Dimitri!!” _Byleth shouts and her face pales as Rodrigue moves in front of Dimitri’s form, the blade cuts through him and lodges itself in Dimitri’s back.

Byleth flings her sword forward, the whip-like bone soaring through the air and slicing the girl in two. She crumbles to the floor – blood spraying from an open artery like a fountain. It’s disgusting but she makes it to the two men.

Rodrigue grips the hilt of the sword and rips it out of his chest, he falls to the ground, but Dimitri quickly catches him. 

“_Rodrigue!” _Dimitri calls out, clutching at the man who he had come to know as a father-figure.

Byleth slid down to the floor beside Dimitri, her seafoam green eyes glistening with tears, “Oh _goddess... Oh no…” _She cursed.

The wound in his chest was bleeding profusely and Byleth knew her healing powers weren’t strong enough to save him. Scarlet liquid spilled around Rodrigue’s form, the colour staining Byleth’s pale skin. Byleth’s eyes flicked to Dimitri’s chest where the edge of the blade had pierced his back, the sword had made it to the front, however it appeared as a small wound. Byleth turned her attention to Rodrigue, he was more in danger than Dimitri at the present time. She pressed her hand to Rodrigue’s chest and used her faith magic, watching as the wound tried to slowly heal itself.

Rodrigue’s body shuddered and he reached up to cup Dimitri’s face ad grasp Byleth’s hand. “Y-Your… Highness… Are you safe? Please tell me… it wasn’t in vain…”

Dimitri shook his head, placing his hand over Rodrigue’s, his sharp eye was filling with tears and it didn’t take long for them to spill. “It-it… was my punishment to bare…”

Rodrigue gave Dimitri a crooked smile and coughed, blood sputtering from his lips. “There are no sins… or punishments on the battlefield…”

“NO!” Dimitri sobbed, the tears now falling from his eye and sliding down his cheek. “P-please… please don’t die… You can’t—” Dimitri’s cries wrecked his frame. “—Please…. I can’t lose you too… Father, Stepmother, Glenn… They all died and left me… Behind!”

Byleth’s tears doubled and she clenched her jaw tightly as she tried hard to heal the gaping wound in the older man’s chest. Her eyes drifted up to Rodrigue’s face, watching as the tears slipped from the corner of his eyes.

“Rodrigue… Are you to join the ghosts who shadow my every move?” Dimitri sniffled, closing his one eye as Rodrigue wiped his tears. “T-This is all my _fault… _I-I’m the one who killed you as surely as though I wielded the blade!”

A soft chuckle left the dying man and Byleth frowned as more blood seeped into his clothes. Her magic wasn’t _working. _

“Your Highness. You have one thing… Terribly wrong… None of them… none of us… died for you… I am dying – for what I believe in… Just as they did… Your life is your own…” Rodrigue coughed, “It belongs… To no other… Living… Or dead...Live for what you believe in…” Rodrigue gave Dimitri a gentle smile, locking his gaze with the prince. “Dimitri… My boy, you look so much… like His Majesty…”

Byleth watched as the man took a shallow breath in. “Rodrigue… You need to stay awake – please, look at me… It’s going to be okay.” She murmured, gritting her teeth as she tried to use more magic.

Rodrigue turned his attention to her and shook his head lightly. “U-use… Your strength on… His Highness… Byleth… Please – keep our promise… Keep him safe for me… “

Byleth bobbed her head and blinked away the moisture in her eyes.

Rodrigue gripped her hand tightly, “P-please… Tell… Felix – I… I’m sorry… And… I love him…” He wheezed, his soft blue eyes glazing over.

Dimitri’s eye widened when Rodrigue’s hand slipped from his face, he reached and grabbed it before it fell. “Rodrigue…?” He mumbled.

“He’s… He’s gone…” Byleth whispered, taking her hand away. She wiped her eyes and jerked her head up when she heard Dimitri slump over, grimacing. “D-Dimitri?!” She cried, reaching over and turning him over onto his back. Her large eyes stared at the blood tricking out of the wound, her bottom lip trembled, and she tried to use her magic to heal him.

She lifted her head up and shouted for help, but she halted when she saw three figures making their way towards them. One with light brown hair, red locks and long dark blue hair. Byleth felt a sicking feeling in her stomach when she made eye contact with Felix, her eyes flittered to Rodrigue’s body beside her.

“_Byleth!” _Mercedes called out her name.

Felix ran faster than Mercedes and Sylvain but came to a thundering stop as his amber eyes focused on his father’s corpse. His expression tightened and he gaped at Byleth. Byleth clamped her mouth shut when she saw tears fall down his pale cheeks, his brow knitted together as he slumped down on the ground.

“I…. I…. No-no… No… Father…. No… Not you too…” Felix mumbled to himself, tears spilling from his eyes uncontrollably.

Sylvain and Mercedes quickly arrived, and both gasped at the sight. Sylvain landed beside Felix and fell to his knees beside the crying man, his arms embracing him tightly. Mercedes quickly took over from Byleth, the priest using her faith magic to try and seal the wound. Byleth moved away, taking a few steps back.

Her eyes landed on her red stained hands, then to Rodrigue’s corpse, Dimitri’s pained expression, and Felix’s form as he wept into Sylvain’s chest.

Her green eyes focus on the white flower that still resides on Dimitri’s body and she feels _sick. _Byleth flopped down almost robotically beside Felix and Sylvain, her arms resting on the man’s back as she tried to soothe him.

“_I’m sorry…”_ She murmured and she swore Felix’s cries grew louder.


	14. Regrettably

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “In time’s flow… See the glow of flames ever burning bright… On the swift river’s drift, broken memories alight...”

Byleth jolts awake and almost slips off the stool she’s currently sitting on, however she quickly steadies herself with a soft yelp. She feels drool on the corner of her mouth and down the side of her cheek – most likely due to how she slept with her hand as a makeshift pillow. Byleth wipes it away with a grimace. Her other hand is still tightly gripping Dimitri’s; he’s been drifting between conscious and unconscious for the past four days. The battle at Gronder Field is still fresh in everyone’s minds. Byleth hasn’t left Dimitri’s side since they returned to the monastery, she’s opted to sleeping in the spare bed beside Dimitri or like she had just moments ago; fallen asleep beside him. The haunting feeling of Rodrigue’s death still hangs on her shoulders – she still blames herself because it _technically_ was her fault that Rodrigue had died. She misses him dearly and she was grateful for the time she was able to share with him. He was a remarkable man, even if he didn’t think himself one. Perhaps Dimitri will die too, and this was all for naught. The former professor still feels sluggish from using _DIVINE PULSE, _and she tries to avoid using it at all costs – it takes an extreme toil on her body and mental state. She hasn’t seen Felix either and she knows he’s most likely hidden himself away from the world. Byleth doesn’t want him to blame Dimitri but she doesn’t want him to blame her either. Especially because she cherishes Felix’s friendship a lot. It’s selfish of her, she knows it is – using time magic just to stop the man you love from dying. She wonders if Sothis is rolling her eyes at her or applauding her stupidity.

_It’s probably both._

Byleth exhales deeply and flickers her gaze over to Dimitri’s form, he’s fast asleep – chest now moving up and down at a regular pace. Sometimes he flinches or his face scrunches up – Byleth is unsure if its to do with the pain or from the dreams he’s having. It could even be _nightmares, _but she doesn’t dwell on the thought. Dimitri’s chest is bare, covered by scars and bandages – she’s used to the sight after four days. However, that doesn’t mean she wasn’t a flustered mess when she had to help Mercedes and Manuela with removing his armour. His form his toned and muscular, especially his arms – his body although blemished with wounds is still very _beautiful. _Dimitri’s pale skin is soft and Byleth likes the feeling of holding his bare hand against her own. Dimitri’s eyepatch was also removed and rests on the bedside table, along with a pair of freshly washed cotton shirt and pants for when Dimitri finally awoke. Bandages and medicinal herbs are there as well as a sandwich that Annette most likely brought up for Byleth and a chain, adorned with a sliver and green ring. It’s a pretty thing and Byleth has run her fingers over the intricate design of it many times now. Similarly, Byleth also carries a ring around her neck – her mothers. It’s a safe weight against her chest. Byleth moves from her stool to the edge of Dimitri’s bed.

“Hey, Dima… I’m just going to turn you on your side, is that okay?” Byleth asked and like always – she was met with silence.

Byleth pulls the sheet that rests against his chest down to his navel – and she’s thankful for Dedue dressing Dimitri with trousers. The dark form-fitting pants hug at his hips and Byleth stops tugging the sheet down. She places her hands on his shoulders and twists his body to her left. Byleth freezes when Dimitri furrows his brow – she waits for anymore movement and sighs in relief when he doesn’t flinch again. Byleth starts to remove the bandages, unrolling the soft material. The wound stopped bleeding on the second day and Byleth is glad that all she has to do is apply more bandages and medicinal herbs to the injury. Byleth places the used bandages back on the table and grabs the ointment that Manuela prepared earlier. The cream is a soft green colour and faintly smells like mint. She gathers a heap of it on her hand and gingerly spreads it around the affected area.

“This is just going to help the wound heal faster – Mercie will be coming up soon to apply heal to the wound again. So – hopefully… You’ll be up and running again…” Byleth stated, she probably sounded like a loony talking to herself. Yet, Byleth didn’t care because _maybe _Dimitri heard her voice and _maybe _it was helping in some way.

When Byleth had finished rubbing in the cream she used the clean bandage and wrapped it around his chest. Byleth returned him to his back, before placing the ointment and bandages back on the table. She exhaled deeply when her eyes landed on the damaged right-eye. The skin was puckered, yet it appeared to be healed fully… It wasn’t a hideous scar – although it did evoke a feeling a sadness. She glanced at the eyepatch on the table and grabbed it, Byleth _knew _without a doubt that Dimitri would hate _anyone _seeing the damaged eye. So, she placed the black material in her lap and reached over to slip her hands under his head. She lifted his skull and covered his damaged eye with the patch. Miraculously she lifted him up to rest his face against her shoulder so that she could tie the eyepatch’s strands together behind his head. Byleth cupped his head and brought it back down to the pillow below.

Byleth smiled gently and leaned down to press a small kiss to the man’s forehead. “Wake up soon, Dima…” She whispered against his skin and she wondered if the small quirk of his lips was just her eyes playing tricks on her. Byleth brushed her thumb against his cheek bone, creating small circles on the skin.

“Rhea sang me a song that Sothis used to sing to her as a child… It’s very soothing – I could – I’m not the best singer… My voice isn’t as pretty as Annette’s or Manuela’s… But I could still sing it for you?” She asked and scoffed when he didn’t reply. “_Right, _of course. You’re unconscious and I’m trying to talk to you… I’ve been in this room for far too long…” Byleth trailed off, sliding a hand down her face as she groaned exaggeratedly. She chuckled and skimmed her fingers just under his eye. “This is probably the most sleep you’ve gotten in five years.”

A soft rap at the door startled Byleth and she almost _punched _Dimitri in the face. Byleth retracted her hand and jerked her head towards the door. A grin formed on her lips when Mercedes and Dedue entered the room. The green haired woman slipped off the bed and onto the stool, grabbing the sandwich from the table and taking a bite.

“Right on time, Merci.” Byleth said once she swallowed a mouthful of bread.

Mercedes giggled, “Of course, how is His Highness?””

Byleth flickered her eyes over to the blonde man, “Still sleeping.” She took another bite.

Dedue hummed, “Byleth, thank you.” He bowed deeply. “For staying with His Highness.”

The former professor shook her head, “You’re welcome, Dedue…”

Mercedes cocked her head to the side, “Byleth, you should go out and get some sun – well… As much as you can get before it rains...” The priest pursed her lips as she peered out of the window, seeing the dark clouds surrounding the monastery.

“Yes. You should see the others.” Dedue added, placing his hand on Byleth’s shoulder.

Byleth nibbled on her bottom lip and finished her sandwich. “I…I should but I…” She tried to explain exactly _why _she couldn’t leave Dimitri. But she couldn’t.

Mercedes cupped Byleth’s hands in her own. “We’ll stay with him while you’re gone. Besides, I still need to apply another heal.” Her words were as warm as her smile.

The green-haired woman flushed and bobbed her head. She removed her hands from Mercedes and stood up – tucking her blouse into her black shorts. “Okay, I’ll be back soon.” She replied and walked towards the door. She looked back to see Mercedes sitting on the edge of the bed as Dedue took the stool.

Byleth turned back to the door and exited the room.

***

The halls are quiet and Byleth’s heels clack against the floor, the sound echoing around her. Byleth hasn’t seen any of her students yet, she’s greeted other knights curtly – asking where Sylvain, Ingrid, Ashe or Annette are. She _knows _where Felix is, and she can’t bring herself to go anywhere near him.

Byleth enters the dining hall and it feels incredibly lonely. Byleth misses the loud chatter that use to fill it five years ago. She spots Annette and Ashe conversing on one of the dining tables – a few knights are scattered throughout the hall but they’re not why Byleth is here. Byleth walks over to the young man and woman.

“Can I join you?” Byleth asked, causing Ashe’s head to jerk up and Annette to twist her head around to look at Byleth.

Annette grins and nods, “Of course, Byleth! I’m glad you’re out of that room.”

Ashe hummed as he sipped his cup of coffee. “Yeah, Annie told me that you were asleep when she brought you food.”

Byleth bobbed her head and sat down next to Annette, “Mm… I’ve been really tired lately.” She said.

Annette sipped her tea and Byleth smells the hint of apple; Sweet Apple Blend, Annie’s favourite. “You were completely zonked, I was going to wake you, but you looked really peaceful. It was really cute actually.”

Byleth blushed and huffed, “Annie – you should have woken me up.”

The ginger-haired girl snickered and shrugged her shoulders. “Nah, you’d probably have a fit. Oh- Ashe, don’t you remember that time that Seteth tried to wake up Byleth because she slept in?”

Ashe smacked the table and laughed, “Yeah! Professor, you looked like a demon!”

Byleth chuckled gently and a genuine smile adorned her lips. She was glad that she had found Annette and Ashe first. They lifted her spirits.

“Why do you think they call me the Ashen Demon?” Byleth said and Annette gasped loudly.

“Oh, my goodness, you’re right! Is that how you got your name?”

Byleth snorted, “Heavens no. I’ve had that nickname for a long time…”

Ashe sipped his coffee and ran his fingers through his silver fringe. “How is… How’s Dimitri?” He questioned, quickly changing the subject and Byleth isn’t surprised by it.

“He’s okay.” She replied simply. Byleth forgets they’re technically adults now, but she can’t help but still think of them as her students.

“And… What of you?” Annette asked, her large eyes fixated on Byleth’s own pair.

Byleth doesn’t know how to respond without telling the truth. She doesn’t want to lie to her students, but she has no desire to tell the truth.

“I could be better, yet – I’m sure that’s how we all feel. I’m going to check up on the others though. I just wanted to make sure everyone was okay.”

Ashe gave his professor a soft smile, “I’m doing well, thank you for checking on us.”

Annette gave her a similar smile, “Me too, I’m well and I know there are others who need you more.”

"Did you not want to talk about..." Byleth began and somehow Annette knew.

"He wasn't there and that's it. Either he's gone somewhere else... Or - he... He's just gone. I - spoke to Ashe about it but thank you."

Byleth bobbed her head and stood up, “You can always talk to me. I know you’re adults now but I’ll always be your professor.”

“We know, Byleth and we’re truly grateful for it.” Annette stated, her skin flushing pink.

The comment made Byleth’s stomach flutter and she waved to her students goodbye. She eft the dining hall, heading into the entrance hall. She spots Sylvain and Ingrid talking, the conversation is hushed but Byleth can pick up a few words; Felix’s name being the most occurring.

Ingrid spots Byleth first and halts her conversation with Sylvain. She turns to Byleth. “Hello, Byleth. It’s good to see you – how is Dimitri fairing?” She asks.

Byleth joins Sylvain and Ingrid, shaking her head at Ingrid’s question. “He hasn’t regained consciousness fully yet. He’s on and off… I’m worried the wound could be infected or perhaps something worse?”

Sylvain grasped Byleth’s chin and lifted her head, “Keep your chin up, dear Byleth. When you worry, we all do.” Sylvain stated with a wink, but she knew it was forced.

Byleth moved her face away and frowned. “Sylvain… You don’t have to try to appear happy.”

Ingrid huffed, “That’s what I’ve been telling this dumbass for the past ten minutes.” Ingrid placed a hand on Byleth’s shoulder, turning her attention to the woman. “I’m sure Mercedes would have said something if it was severe. She’s mainly been gushing about how well you’re taking care of him.” She said with a giggle.

Sylvain scoffed, “I’m _fine.” _He crossed his arms and looked away, clenching his jaw. “It’s Felix I’m worried about.”

Byleth cocked her head at the mention of Felix. “How… How is he…?”

“_Bad_. He’s in his room – all the time, right Sylvain?” Ingrid answered quickly.

Sylvain clicked his tongue, “Mm… I’ve been with him for most of the time. I left just to get something for Felix to eat. Annie’s sandwiches are pretty good, and I know Felix likes them…”

“Do you think he’ll come out eventually?” Byleth inquired and Sylvain merely shrugged his shoulders.

“I hope so but… Who knows – Felix was like this when…” Sylvain trailed off and threw a glance at Ingrid who gave him a half-smile in return. “…When Glenn was killed.”

Ingrid exhaled deeply, “I think Felix will recover, especially with you keeping him company Sylvain.”

The red-haired man rolled his eyes, “I’m surprised he hasn’t tried to lock me out yet, or maybe even stab me – that’d be a better reaction than just… _Nothing…”_

“Does… Is he still crying?” Byleth spoke softly.

“Not after the second day – he’s just blank… I hate seeing him cry but I’d rather that than this… Hollow shell left of him.”

Byleth clenched her teeth together, “_Felix…” S_he murmured and she felt her lips dip into a frown.

Ingrid covered her eyes with her hand, “I… Know this is war but… Goddess – I’m really sick of it now.” She spat out and Byleth could see the single tear that slid down her cheek.

Byleth felt her bottom lip tremble at the sight and reached over, gathering the blonde woman to her and embracing her. Ingrid rested against her, quiet whimpers leaving her.

Sylvain placed a gentle hand on Ingrid’s head, patting the blonde locks. “It’ll be okay – Iggy….” Sylvain flickered his gaze to Byleth. “I think you should see Felix, perhaps not today but… I think he’d want to see you tomorrow.”

“Of course.” She replied with because she truly missed him.

Her answer seemed to please Sylvain and he nodded his head before leaving – walking in the direction of the kitchen.

Ingrid broke away from Byleth’s hug and wiped her eyes with a watery laugh. “Sorry, pro-Byleth… I-I haven’t cried like that in a long time.”

“No, you don’t have to apologise Ingrid. It’s understandable – you’re a very strong and remarkable woman. I’m surprised you’ve held it in for so long.”

The Pegasus knight hiccupped, her pale cheeks stained red, “T-Thank you, Byleth… You’re so kind.”

Byleth smiled at the compliment and the blush decorating Ingrid’s cheeks. “You’re welcome… Ingrid, I think you should get some rest. It’s going to be a stormy night.”

“O-of course… Thank you again…” Ingrid tried to smile but it appeared as more of grimace.

Byleth watched the blonde-haired woman leave, she rubbed her eyes when she felt the familiar ache of a headache coming on. She sighed and started to walk back to the medical room, whishing that she had done more to comfort her students.

***

The only sound that fills the room is Dimitri’s breathing and sometimes her loud exhale. Although Byleth spoke to her students to check up on them, she still feels _lonely. _She wants Dimitri to wake up and even if he yells at her – it’ll be better than this silence. She understands Sylvain’s reasoning now. She’ll have to talk to Felix tomorrow, and she hopes that Dimitri will finally awake as well. It’s a _stretch _but she prays that tomorrow will be a better day – for all of them.

Mercedes and Dedue left almost half an hour ago and Byleth is unsure what the current time is. The dark clouds outside don’t help.

She has opted to skimming her fingers over his forehead, pushing his fringe back to expose his face. She remembers Rhea caressing her face when she had finally joined with Sothis. She remembers how peaceful she had felt during that moment.

“If you grimace again, I’ll try singing for you… My father used to sing to me when I was a child. His voice was quite soothing.” She had asked him before but now, she truly did want to sing allowed – he wouldn’t exactly hear it anyway. Byleth smirked when Dimitri’s eyebrow twitched. It was either from her touch or her words. She wanted to soothe the prince and she knows the song that Sothis created makes her incredibly sleepy will do the job.

Byleth scrunched up her face as she remembered the words, she started to hum the tune to the song. She closed her eyes as she sung:

_“In time’s flow… See the glow of flames ever burning bright… On the swift river’s drift, broken memories alight...”_

Byleth yawned loudly after she finished the lullaby, feeling drowsy and she notices the way Dimitri seems more relaxed. Byleth can hear thunder rolling in, the rumbling ringing in her ears. However, it only adds to how tired she feels. Byleth crosses her arms onto the edge of the bed and she knows sitting on this stool will cause back pain in the morning but the pitter patter of rain against the window lulls her to sleep.

She grips Dimitri’s hand with her own, mumbling a “Good night… Dima…”


	15. Comfort

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Byleth scrunched her face up, blinking away the rain from her eyes. “You’re wrong Dimitri, how do you know your family want you to kill Edelgard? You hear their voices but are you sure they’re not you—”

_Byleth felt a gentle breeze ruffle her hair, causing the strands to tickle her cheeks. Her shirt flutters in the wind and she’d glad that it’s still tucked into her shorts. Although the sun was warm on her bare skin – the wind was still cold. Fhirdiad seemed like the most likely candidate. She’d never been there but she was sure it was freezing. The large white kingdom stands tall and she can hear the distant sound of children laughing and squealing. The sound makes her smile and she decides to follow it, her short green locks bounce with each step. The grass covered by small flecks of snow crunches beneath her feet and the laughter of children is louder._

_She can now see four children, one with dark blue hair tied up into a small pony tail – strands fall into his chubby cheeks and large brown eyes. He’s latched onto a much taller boy, one with stark red hair and a cheeky grin, he’s holding onto the small boy and laughing at a girl. The tall blonde girl has her hair tied up into a bun, she’s chasing the two, face flushed red and she wonders what Sylvain has said now to cause Ingrid to get so flustered. Byleth’s gaze shifts to the last member of their group, he’s sitting under a weeping willow, finding shade under the branches. His face scrunched up when he laughs, the sound is angelic and adorable. Byleth makes her way over to him and sits down next to him, bumping her shoulder against his to gain his attention._

_Dimitri yelps and his head whips around to find Byleth. His baby blue eyes widen and a large grin forms on his boyish face. “Byl- Miss Byleth! It’s so good to see you again!” He places his hand over hers and she wonders if he had wanted to hug her instead._

_Byleth giggles and hugs him, smiling when he hugs her back quickly – she was correct. Byleth pulls away and looks down at him, “Yes, I’m glad you’re doing well. Have you found more people who care about you?” She asked, shifting her gaze to the other children who were playing._

_Dimitri bobbed his head, blonde strands dancing, “Yes, Felix, Sylvain and Ingrid… I’m truly grateful for them.”_

_Byleth relaxed against the tree, “That’s good, I’m happy you’re happy.” She grabbed his small hand and squeezed it._

_Dimitri stared at their joint hands, “Do you have someone you care about?” _

_“I have lots, but there’s someone in particular that I care about most of all.” Byleth’s lips curled upwards, “I’ve realised I love them too.”_

_Dimitri gawked at her, his pale cheeks turning red. “Oh! Have you told them?” He asked._

_She shook her head, “He’s not ready to hear them yet… I have to help him love himself first… To forgive himself too.” _

_Dimitri frowned deeply. “Well, he’s really lucky to have you – I… I mean… I would be…” He grumbled and he lifted his head when Byleth laughed._

_“I think I’m the lucky one… I really hope he loves me too,” She said and grabbed the chain from her neck, lifting it up and over her head. She placed the chain in Dimitri’s hands so that he could look at the ring. “I’m going to ask him to marry me – when the time is right, of course.”_

_Dimitri admired the ring, touching the jewels almost fondly. “It’s a very pretty ring… You keep it around your neck?” He questioned._

_“Mmhm, it was my mother’s. I feel safe with it around my neck – It’s probably not a go- Oh…” Byleth paused as Dimitri took the necklace out from under his collar._

_“This was my mother’s, ah- not… my Stepmother’s… My birthmother’s. Papa said I should have it – for good luck.” Dimitri blushed and handed Byleth’s ring back. “I feel safe with it too.”_

_Byleth chuckled and nudged Dimitri. “Guess great minds think alike, don’t they?” _

_Dimitri giggled and hummed, “Yes!” he paused and slipped the ring back under his collar. “Miss Byleth… Can I know who the person is that you love?” _

_The woman’s eyes widened, and she blinked owlishly at him. She furrowed her brow, unsure how to word her answer. “I… This might sound odd – but I’m in love with you. An older version of you.” _

_Dimitri’s eyebrows shot up to his hairline and he gasped, “Me?! You love… Well not me – but older… Still me technically – that’s wow… I… I don’t know what to – I’m happy so, so I’m sure older me will be too…” His ears turned a dark red and his face was the colour of strawberries._

_Byleth placed her finger to his lips, stopping him from rambling. “Yes, I love Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd – that includes this version of you too.”_

_The child bit his bottom lip to stop his smile from growing incredibly big, “I’d have to be a fool not to love someone like you.” _

_The former professor felt her eyes sting as tears started to roll down her cheeks, her bottom lip trembled, and she gave him a watery laugh. “Such a gentleman.”_

_Dimitri’s small hands reached up and wiped the tears away from her face, and Byleth felt his arms wrap around her – hugging her tightly._

Byleth wakes with a jolt, just as lightning strikes outside. Her head jerks upright and she can feel tears on her cheeks. The rain is heavy outside and lightning flashes again. However, something doesn’t exactly sit right, her eyes drift down to the bed she was resting on and _Dimitri isn’t there. _The bed is empty, and dread fills her stomach and swallows her whole. The feeling is twisting its way through her and she looks around the room, noticing the clean shirt and pants are gone, the sheet on the bed is oh – wait. Byleth looks down at herself and sees its wrapped around her – she blushes darkly because only Dimitri could have placed it there. Or someone else if someone had stolen Dimitri? But that doesn’t make any sense. The professor jumps up and exits the room, he couldn’t have gone out because its pissing rain and you’d have to be – _okay. S_o, Dimitri _could _be outside, and that thought is terrifying because that means Byleth has to go out there too. She’s not afraid of thunderstorms, she actually quite enjoys them – finds the sound relaxing – its especially good for when she has or had to grade paperwork.

Byleth practically bolts down the stairs and misses a couple, slipping down but catching herself at the last minute. The halls are eerily quiet, save for a few guards wandering about and the sound of wind howling through an open window. Byleth runs through the halls, unsure where Dimitri could have gone, and she doesn’t want to start screaming his name because that would wake everyone up and send people into a panic – much like she is now. Byleth runs outside and shields her face from the rain – its dark and the rain doesn’t help the situation. Her clothes are sticking to her skin – shirt most likely transparent because of the material and hair mattered. Not to mention her boots are soaked with water and mud – she really liked that pair. Byleth hurries past the dining hall and decides she’ll check the stables before the cathedral – it’s only two places she can think of. Byleth quickens her pace, feet splattering against puddles that she can barely see.

She makes it to the stables and decides to call out his name – he probably won’t even answer her, but she must try something. “Dimitri!!” She calls, cupping around her mouth. The noise is cancelled out by the heavy rain and the sound of thunder.

“_What do you want?”_ A voice asks from behind her and it startles her – causing her to trip and slip over in the mud.

Byleth groans, not wanting to know how badly she’s covered in dirt and who knows what else. Byleth slowly gets back up – but she’s yanked up by someone with incredible strength. She’s pulled upright and her eyes drift upwards to find Dimitri’s eye focused on hers.

She sighs in relief. “_Thank goddess… _I’m glad I found you – what are you doing out here?! It’s raining, your injured! You could get sick!” Her green eyes flicker over his form, the rain causing his cotton shirt to cling to his large frame – and if Byleth wasn’t so worried, she probably would have gawked.

Dimitri clicked his tongue, “It doesn’t concern you, go back inside.”

Byleth narrowed her eyes, “It does too. You’re my responsibility – whether you like it or not.”

“Tch…. Get out of my way, Byleth. _Now.” _Dimitri snapped.

“_No. _I don’t know what you’re going to accomplish in this rain with your injury and don’t even think of going to Enbarr. You’ll die before you even make it there and I _won’t let you._” She extended her arms out, trying to make a barrier.

Dimitri clamped his mouth shut and adverted her gaze, shifting them over to where the horses were safe from the weather.

“Do you really think this will appease the dead?” She asked and she didn’t flinch at his glare.

“_Silence. _You have no idea what you’re talking about. Death is the end. No matter how much lingering regret a person has, after death, they are powerless. They cannot even wish for revenge, much less seek it out. _Hatred. Regret. _Those burdens fall on the shoulders of those who are left behind.

And so I must continue down this path! I already told you as much! It is far too late to stop!” Dimitri sneered; jaw clenched tightly.

Byleth scrunched her face up, blinking away the rain from her eyes. “You’re wrong Dimitri, how do you know your family want you to kill Edelgard? You hear their voices but are you sure they’re not you—”

“—_Shut up! _You know nothing! Don’t speak such nonsense about how I should live my life for their sake – that is merely the logic of the living. It’s meaningless. Those who died with lingering regret… They will not loose their hold on me easily…”

“Why… Why does that have to fall onto your shoulders? Why do you have to carry the burden, _alone?”_ Byleth asked, her lips forming into a frown.

“Because I’m the only one who survived… I lived and I hate it – I’m so weak that I couldn’t save them… But oh—” Dimitri turned his head up to the sky, droplets falling onto his skin. “But you seem to have all the answers _professor… _So, tell me, Byleth… Please tell me…” Dimitri trailed off, his shoulders trembling as his bottom lip wobbled and Byleth’s eyes widened at the tears at rolled down his cheek. “…How do I… How do I silence their pleas? How do I… How do I save them…? I’m so tired… So tired of- of failing them…”

Dimitri sobbed, covering his mouth with his hand. “Ever… Since that day nine years ago… I have lived only to avenge the fallen… Even my time at the Officer’s Academy was all so that I could secure my revenge and clear away the regret of the dead… It was the only thing that kept me alive… My only reason for moving forward… Please… Byleth – I don’t… I don’t know what to…”

Byleth sniffled and she was unsure if the water on her skin was from the rain or her tears. Her brow twitched as it furrowed, and she tried her best to stop herself from crying. “Dimitri… You have suffered so much… So much by yourself… You’re so s_trong _and the only thing you can do now… Is forgive yourself. It is _not your fault _– do n_ot feel guilty_… You were only a _child _– one who has grown into a fine young man… _Please… You must forgive yourself…”_

Dimitri shook his head, tears mixing with the rain, “B-but… Then who – or what – should I… Should I live for?”

Byleth gave him a crooked smile and repeated the words that Rodrigue spoke before he died. “Live for what _you _believe in, Dimitri. Live for yourself… Live for you and only you – it is your life…”

Dimitri’s sobs wrecked his frame, “For what I…. For what… Rodrigue – he… he said the same thing… But is it.… I am a murderous monster… That’s all I am Byleth – one whose hands are stained with blood…Could one… such as I… truly hope for such a life…? As the sole survivor… Do I really… Am I allowed a life like that?”

Byleth reached out with one hand and grasped his bare hand with her own, the other cupped his face – skimming just under his eye to catch the tears. “Dimitri… You _deserve _a life like that – you have only known pain… And I want to see you happy… and if the smiles you gave five years ago were fake… Then – Then I’ll try so hard to see you genuinely happy because you deserve all of that…” Byleth squeezed his hand, digging her teeth into her lip as she cried.

Dimitri squeezed her hand back, “Byleth…” He placed his hand over the one that rested against his face. “…Your hands… They’re so warm… Have they always been…?” He pressed his face further into her palm, pressing his lips to her calloused skin, “I’m… I’m so sorry… I’m so sorry… I- I didn’t… Please… Please _forgive me… _I can’t… I can’t lose you too… Byleth—” Dimitri gasped as Byleth wrapped her arms around him, using both her hands to press his head into her shoulder.

“Dima… I have forgiven you… It’s _okay… _I won’t leave you – I will never leave your side again… I promise – I’ll be right here.” She tightened her grasp when Dimitri hugged her back, his hands dripping at the soft material of her shirt.

Byleth wept against the prince, holding him securely against her small form. She never wanted to let him go and the cries that left him broke her heart. Byleth pressed a soft kiss to his head, resting her cheek against it. The rain was cold against her skin but Byleth really loved the warmth that radiated from Dimitri’s touch.

***

The medical room cold but its much warmer than outside. The two are soaked and Byleth won’t be surprised if she starts sneezing tomorrow. She sat Dimitri on the bed, his eye focused on her form at all times, watching as she collected a towel, hair brush and ties from the cupboard and sat bedside him on the bed. She’d kicked off her shoes when they entered and had helped Dimitri remove his. Her toes tingle from the warmth of the room. She gives Dimitri a gentle smile and it widens when Dimitri looks away – almost nervously. It would be incredibly strange to act upon your true emotions after spiralling down the void for five years. Byleth places one hand on his and it does the trick to comfort him. She’ll have to hold his hand more often if it causes him to behave like this.

“Alright… Let’s dry your hair…” She lifted the towel onto his head and began rubbing it all over, trying to dry his blonde locks. She grins when she removes the towel, his hair an absolute mess. “Can I brush it?” She asks and Dimitri simply nods his head. His eye is still puffy, and his nose is tinged pink.

Byleth turns him and starts brushing his hair, admiring the silky shine to it. “Your hair is so soft – has it always been?” She waits for him to reply but he merely shrugs. “It’s very pretty.” She states next and she notices how his ears turn red. Byleth drags her fingers through his hair and glances at the hair ties beside her. “Can I tie your hair up?” She inquires and a small bob of his head is her answer.

Byleth grabbed pieces of his hair, pulling it back, she had quite liked when she made him tie his hair up in the Valley of Torment so perhaps, she could try a different style now. She released the bottom section of his hair and pulled more from the top. She twisted the tie around it, creating a half-up half-down look. She was quite pleased with it and she hoped it looked nice from the front too.

“All done, you can turn around now.” She said, making a circle in the air with her index finger. Byleth watched as he turned around and looked at her, his face was more exposed, especially his left eye. The sight caused her to blush and she gave him a thumbs up. A few locks fell in front of the eyepatch and Byleth couldn’t believe how _handsome _he was, she couldn’t exactly say that to him without choking up. She wasn’t even sure how he would react either.

“Thank you.” He croaked out, his lips formed a small smile and it made her chest tighten internally.

Byleth shook her head, “It’s all good, Dima. You can –“ She paused when his fingers twisted around her short green locks. “Dimitri…?” She gave him a puzzled look.

Dimitri retracted his hand, “Sorry… I just – I never said anything when you cut your hair. Its… I like it.” He said, voice strained.

“Thank you, I’m glad you like it.” She replied and grabbed his hand before he could pull it all the way back. “My mother’s hair was short and I… I wanted to look more like her.”

Dimitri flickered his eye over her face and his eye narrowed on the small scar on her cheek. “I’m sorry for hurting you… So many times – for gods… I was so happy… When you came back – I waited so long for you… I’m so sorry Byleth, I wanted to hold you so badly in my arms… I didn’t mean what I said about Jeralt – I just wanted you to get angry at me… All you did was smile at me and I – I couldn’t understand that…”

Byleth chuckled, “I was really tempted to smack you – punch you as well but I… I couldn’t bring myself to do that. I knew I’d regret it immediately. I never want to hurt you.”

Dimitri squeezed her hand, pressing his thumb along the tiny scars. “I… My smiles with you were always genuine.” He murmured; eyes focused on their hands.

Byleth quirked her brow, chewing the inside of her cheek. “I’m… Glad that they were…” She placed her other hand over the top of his. “Dimitri… I know you said that you were joking at the Goddess tower but… Well I wished that we’d be together… always…” She admitted, laughing softly when Dimitri’s gaze lifted to hers in shock.

“I wished for that too.” He answered.

Byleth spoke softly, “You’re my best friend… Dimitri – I hope you know that… I care a lot about you.”

Dimitri’s skin flushed pink and he spoke in the same hushed tone. “You’re very important to me, Byleth and I swear to you that I will never treat you in such a horrible way again… I am so sorry for everything I ever did to hurt you. I know words mean nothing without action, but I am and will always be truly sorry for causing you so much pain. For making you cry… I never want to see you cry again…”

Byleth moved one hand to cup his face, “Dimitri, I have forgiven you… It’s okay – but… You need to apologise to the others. Especially Felix.”

Dimitri shuddered at the name and adverted her gaze. “Yes… You’re right… Byleth will you…”

“…Of course, I have some things I need to tell Felix as well.” She finished and Dimitri exhaled, he looked relieved.

Dimitri returned his attention to her hair, “Can I… Brush your hair for you?” He asked and Byleth gazed at him fondly.

“Thank you, that would be lovely.” Byleth shifted around so that her back was facing him.

When she felt his fingers through her hair, she closed her eyes and relaxed – realising only then that the rain had finally stopped. Byleth prayed that tomorrow would bring her students joy. Especially Felix and Dimitri.


	16. Absolution

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A range of emotions crossed the man’s face, but he settled on confused, “I… Byleth I believe you – however, I don’t… Quite frankly I don’t understand.”

Byleth hummed softly as she rubbed the ointment onto Dimitri’s back, her eyes flickering to his red ears – it brought a miniscule smile to her face. She was glad he was able to start pushing away the words the ghosts of his family told him. Byleth knew they still haunted him – his eye would focus on a certain spot, and he would murmur something under his breath before looking away. Byleth was unsure what they told him, but she was sure it wasn’t something pleasant. It had taken her a while to coax him into allowing her to apply medicine to his back. He was terribly self-conscious of his wounds and Byleth knew she couldn’t tell him that he’d seen him shirtless for the past couple of days. He had relented after Byleth allowed him to keep his shirt on – the wound had almost fully healed over – thanks to Mercedes’ faith magic.

Byleth took her hand away and closed the lid of the tin, “All done…” She spoke and Dimitri pulled his shirt back down over his bare skin.

Dimitri shifted on his spot on the bed and looked at her, “Did… Did you do this… While I was asleep?”

She bobbed her head, “Mm, but I always asked you or told you… Heh… You didn’t answer of course…” She said with a small laugh at the end.

“Oh… I heard you – ah, well I dreamed—” Dimitri caught himself before he could finish, his eye widening a fraction.

Byleth quirked a brow, “You… You dreamt of me – I dream about you a lot… Well, _young _you.” She stated, twisting her lips as she thought.

Dimitri stared at her, “_Young me,” _He repeated. Dimitri’s brow furrowed and he placed his hand over hers. “were… Was Felix, Sylvain and Ingrid there?”

Byleth blinked owlishly and nodded quickly, “Yes, did… Ah- perhaps we were connected? Sothis appeared in one of my dreams but it was a memory…” She mumbled to herself, grasping her chin in thought.

“Sothis? The goddess? Why… Oh, your powers.” Dimitri answered his own question, yet he still appeared puzzled.

“Yes… My powers… I never truly told you what happened – did I?” She asked, remembering that she had passed out after only briefly speaking to Dimitri.

She hadn’t even told him about her_ DIVINE PULSE… _Perhaps she could have, but… She didn’t want to put such a burden on Dimitri’s shoulders… Yet, she should tell her students, tell them everything because she loves them all dearly. However, how would they react? Would they hate her? Leave her? Blame her for everything? She didn’t want that to happen… She didn’t want more people to leave her… Goddess, she really hated being _alone._

Dimitri shook his head, “No, you only said she gifted you with her powers… Is there more?”

She nodded, “Yes… And you’re the first person I’m going to tell– Rhea… Actually, her other identity is _Serios a_lready knows_.”_

“_Serios?!”_ Dimitri gasped, covering his mouth as he realised how loud he had shouted her name.

Byleth hummed, “Mm… I don’t know everything; I need to speak to Rhea when we find her but – I’ll tell you what I know or what I’ve deduced. Sothis, the goddess is connected to me… She’s in my mind – w_as_, before we truly connected, and then I turned into this.” She gestured to her hair.

“I gained her powers and somehow I can wield the Sword of The Creator, I believe it has something to do with Sothis and that I possess the Crest of Flames… _Maybe?_” Byleth shrugged, pursing her lips. “I’m just speaking my mind here… I’m not entirely sure what I’m saying is true… Anyway, I was also born without a heartbeat – I think I have a heart, otherwise – how would I be alive?”

Dimitri’s eye drifted to her chest, landing where her heart was. “You don’t… How – do you even know what one feels like or sounds like?” He spoke, he looked entirely bewildered by what she was saying.

“No, I didn’t even think about it… It’s weird… Not normal…” Byleth swallowed the lump in her throat. “That’s besides the point… There’s something I need to tell you – I have a certain power, one I gained from Sothis…”

Dimitri waited patiently for her to continue and she dug her teeth into the flesh of her lips, she clamped her hands into fists when she felt her hands start to shake. She had to stop herself from _panicking_ and _worrying. _Byleth didn’t know if she could deal with Dimitri _hating _her, the thought made her sick in the stomach and she had to stop herself from gagging. Here it goes…

“I can… Control time… I can only alter the past five minutes – and usually only once until I recover properly…” Byleth stated, watching Dimitri to gage his reaction.

A range of emotions crossed the man’s face, but he settled on confused, “I… Byleth I believe you – however, I don’t… Quite frankly I don’t understand.”

Byleth ran her hand down her face and exhaled. “Its complicated but… Well, I used it…” She gripped the sheets beneath her hands, “…When Rodrigue died…”

Dimitri’s brow dipped downwards, “What do you mean?” and Byleth grimaced at the sharp edge to his voice.

“Dimitri… I don’t want you to hate me, goddess – but if you must I hope you will not stop talking to me… I hated the cold shoulder for four months…”

The prince shook his head; however, his eye was still focused intently on her form, “_Byleth, I could never hate you.”_

Byleth felt tears form in the corners of her pale green eyes, she inhaled sharply and sighed. “Okay… I believe you. You died, not Rodrigue – but you… I didn’t warn Rodrigue of the attack and so he didn’t step in front to take the blow. I couldn’t make it in time either… You died and I couldn’t allow it, so I used _DIVINE PULSE, _and altered it. Rodrigue died in your stead but you were still injured… I would have tried again to get a better ending but – I had already drained my energy…”

Dimitri clasped his hands in lap, picking at the healing skin around his finger nails. “I… So, you…” Dimitri trailed off and steeled his gaze. “I was… meant to _die_ instead of Rodrigue?” He questioned and Byleth hated the look in his eye.

“_Yes, _that’s why I hated that you tried to blame yourself for his death… Because it’s my fault – I shouldn’t…” She clamped her mouth shut as she whimpered, tears finally escaping her eyes. Her voice was muffled as she spoke, “I… I’m so sorry… Dimitri but… I couldn’t let you die – I was selfish, and I hope you can forgive me…”

Dimitri adverted her gaze and scoffed, “I don’t know how to feel about this, Byleth. I… A part of me wants to get angry at you and another… Another part of me wants to thank you for saving my life.” Dimitri rolled his shoulders back.

Byleth lowered her gaze, “You can be angry at me… I completely understand if you do… I mean, techni—”

“—Don’t blame yourself, you couldn’t control what happened either, he died for what he believed in… And I have come to terms with that. I don’t like that you didn’t tell me for so long, however you have your reasons and I’ve been… _Difficult. _However, to think I would hate you over something like this… You don’t needn’t worry, I could never hate you and I don’t…” Dimitri scrunched up his face, “… I don’t think I could ever… _Fuck…_ Could we have saved him…? If I hadn’t been so stupid.”

“_Dimitri._” She spoke his name harshly and it caused the man to jolt out of his stupor. “It is _not_ your fault.”

Dimitri retured his gaze to her and Byleth knew that he didn’t agree with her. He shifted the conversation, “How long have you had this power for?”

“Since I met you.” She replies honestly and Dimitri blinks at her before letting out a small laugh, one that isn’t humorous sounding at all. 

“You’ve had this power for that long and you never said anything? Have we all died countless times? Have you seen them all?” Dimitri stopped picking at his fingers when they started to bleed and decided to cross his arms over his chest.

Byleth pinched the bridge of her brow. “I… Yes, I have… I’ve seen you all die in some way, how it affects the others… Confessions from the heart… And I kept them to myself because how could I tell someone that I have time powers? It’s ridiculous sounding and… I don’t like using it, it hurts a lot after. Plus, I always fear that I will mess up that timeline and cause something worse to happen.” She reached forward and grasped Dimitri’s hands. “Dimitri… I’m glad you took it well… I’m grateful for that and… I know I’ll have to tell the others as well... Its time I came clean about who I am.”

The blonde man squeezed her small hand in his. “I… I don’t want you to use it anymore – you don’t have to listen to me but, I want you to use It less. Somethings you can’t change, Byleth… No matter how hard you try.”

She gave him a wobbly smile, “I know… I tried to save my father but he… He died anyway… I guess he was always meant to die there… Maybe… Maybe I was truly meant to die when we –“ She gasped when she was yanked forward into the man’s chest, her head pressed against the soft cotton. A startling sound entered her ears, one she had never heard before that came from within his chest. It had a deep rhythm that quickened when Dimitri placed his arms around her.

“_Don’t say such things…” _He hissed by her ear. “…Never say you were meant to die – you were meant to live, with me… And the others… How could you have saved me then; you’re meant to be here.”

Byleth ducked her head and frowned softly, “I’m sorry…” She murmured and pressed her ear closer to the quickening beat of his heart.

***

Dimitri frowned as he followed Byleth, the woman was carrying a cup of Almyran Pine Needles. The tea had a pleasant scent, almost peppery with a hint of zest. Dimitri quickened his pace, his dark armour clanking against the floor as he walked by her side. “Tea?” He asked and Byleth bobbed her head.

“Yes, Felix always says my tea is amazing and I know it’ll soothe him – not fully but… _Enough s_o that he’ll listen to me.” Byleth answered, lifting her gaze to his.

Dimitri hummed softly; his former professor never failed to surprise him. Dimitri looked around the dormitories, as Byleth led him to the end of the hall. Dimitri grasped Byleth’s arm when she went past Felix’s room.

Byleth quickly tightened her grasp on the cup as she was jerked backwards. She steadied herself and raised her eyebrows. “Is everything okay?” She asked, moving one hand to cover his.

Dimitri adverted her gaze and pointed to Felix’s room. “You went past it.” He stated.

“No, we’re going to Sylvain’s room.” She corrected as she tugged his hand off her arm and held it instead. She pulled him along, making sure she held the tea carefully in her right hand.

A quiet “Oh…” Left Dimitri but he didn’t continue. They stopped just in front of Sylvain’s door.

Byleth turned to Dimitri. “I’m going to talk to Felix first… I don’t know how he’ll react to you but, I’m hoping I can take the brunt of his anger.” She spoke.

Dimitri shook his head, “Byleth—” But he halted when Byleth gave him a crooked smile, one that didn’t reach her eyes.

“It’ll be better this way.” Byleth said and released his hand. She rapped her knuckles against the wood, “Sylvain? It’s me, Byleth…” She called out, waiting for either Sylvain to reply.

The door opened and Byleth had to quickly pull her head back before she was smacked in the face. Sylvain exited the room and closed the door behind him. He went to give Byleth a smile but froze when his dark eyes landed on Dimitri.

“_What...? Di-_I mean… Your Highness… I don’t –“ Sylvain clamped his mouth shut and looked to Byleth with wide eyes.

“It’s… A long story, Sylvain… But – Dimitri is going to speak to Felix after me, if that’s okay.” Byleth responded and she noticed the dark circles under his eyes and his disbelieved state. It caused her to worry at her lips, she hated that she couldn’t do more to help her students. Hated that she had brushed things aside, hated that she hadn’t tried to comfort her students before she stayed with Dimitri. Especially Felix – Felix was her friend and she had let Sylvain deal with it.

_She really was a selfish person… _

Sylvain bobbed his head sluggishly, his eyes quickly focusing back on Dimitri. “I’m glad you’re here.” He said, patting his childhood friend’s shoulder.

Dimitri gave him a weak smile, “I’m sorry, Sylvain. I didn’t mean to cause so much… _Pain…_Please, I hope that you can forgive me.”

Sylvain exhaled and rubbed his eyes with his palm. “I… I will if Felix does.” He narrowed his eyes, “I accept your apology but… I’m not like Byleth – I won’t just forgive you so easily. I don’t even understand how she – Sorry… It wasn’t my intention to ridicule you… I just can’t believe you’re standing here.”

Although Dimitri understood Sylvain, his words still cut the prince deep.

Byleth lowered her gaze, staring at her reflection in the tea and swallowed the lump in her throat. “I actually have some things I’d like to discuss with everyone… I’ve already told Dimitri… But I’ll speak to you and Felix first. You might hate me for it…” She murmured. She’s been wanting to do this for a while now and she finally told Dimitri as well. He accepted it and gods; she was so happy he was still by her side.

Sylvain narrowed his eyes, “Byleth, I hated you once… I don’t think I will again.”

Byleth felt tears prick her eyes, “You might, and I wouldn’t blame you…” Byleth tightened her grip on the cup of tea. “How is Felix today?” She changed the subject quickly.

Sylvain flickered his gaze to the woman, “Better than yesterday – He’s talking more…”

“I’ll speak to Felix now…” She uttered instead and walked past, opening the door and closing it behind her as she entered.

Byleth’s green eyes focused on the man long haired man sitting on Sylvain’s bed. His hair was untied, flowing around his shoulders, his knees were drawn up onto the bed and encircled by his arms. His amber eyes shifted to Byleth and she swore she almost cried at the sight. His cheeks appeared hollow, eyes bloodshot and puffy and lips cracked. His skin a pasty white and his jaw was lined with stubble He was wearing his dark turtleneck sweater and matching black pants, his feet were bare.

He scoffed, his voice scratchy, “Have you come to pity me?”

Byleth shook her head, blinking away the tears that threatened to spill. “No, I came to give you tea.” She gave him a smile and walked closer to him. She extended it towards him, and she was relieved that he had simply grabbed it. He held it in his hands but didn’t drink from it – she wondered if he found the warmth radiating from the cup comforting.

Felix sniffed it, “Almyran Pine Needles.” He grunted.

“Yes, your favourite.” She replied and she gaze him a small smile when she started to drink from it. “How… Has Sylvain been good company?” She asked and she knew she needed to address the elephant in the room but if she could somehow ease into it…

Felix rolled his eyes and sipped from his tea. “He’s annoying – but… He’s okay…”

“And… How are you?” Byleth questioned, watching as his brow dipped down like his mouth.

“I feel like shit. I hated that old man and now I won’t even leave this damn room to train… How pathetic is that?” Felix scratched at his jaw.

Byleth shook her head, “I don’t think it’s pathetic at all, you’re human Felix. Yes, you hated him but he’s still your father. You’d have to be a monster not to feel anything.”

Felix huffed and sipped at his tea, “Are you going to tell me to get off my ass and do something?” His eyes became glassy and Byleth truly did not want to see him cry again.

“No. I’m not going to force you to do anything, Felix… You take as much time as you need to heal. I won’t understand to what extent this hurts you, but I lost my father as well. You were all there for me and you comforted me. It really impacted me. Felix – you are an incredibly strong person and I admire your strength, emotionally, physically and mentally.”

Felix gritted his teeth together as a tear escaped from his eye, Byleth cursed internally. She didn’t want to make him cry again.

“Tch… Stop it…” He hiccupped, scrubbing at his eyes with his hand.

Byleth grabbed the cup from his other hand. She placed it on the ground by her feet. “Felix, your father said something to me before he died… And I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to tell you this but… He said that _he’s sorry_ and that _he loves you_…” She said, placing a hand on his back as his shoulders started to tremble.

Felix inhaled, covering his face with both his hands as tears rolled down his cheeks. “_Don’t_… Don’t _fucking _lie to me… Byleth…”

Byleth wrapped her arms around him fully and brought his head to her shoulder, scrunching up her face when his tears landed against her neck. “I would never lie to you… _I’m_ _so sorry… _I’m sorry I couldn’t save him…” She murmured against his forehead.

Felix trembled against her shoulder, his body quivering as he tried to stop himself from crying. He pulled away from her first, wiping at his eyes and nose.

“They… They buried him here, in this _stupid _place – I wanted to… _Fuck –“ _Felix covered his mouth, his tears continue to fall.

“You wanted to bury him next to Glenn… Didn’t you…?” She finished for him and her heart breaks at his nod. Byleth needs to alert Felix of Dimitri’s presence because Felix is unstable and the thought of ruining all this progress hat Sylvain has made… Well – it’s a horrible thought, really.

“…Please don’t blame Dimitri… It was your father’s choice – I know you don’t agree with it and… I don’t either… However… I will be here if you want to spar or talk… I know Sylvain and Ingrid want to help you too…” Byleth reassured as she placed a hand over his.

Felix sniffed and pinched the bridge of his brow. “I’ll try.” He decided upon and Byleth shrugged her shoulders lightly.

“That’s all you can do… Felix, I have something I want to tell you but… I’ll do that with Sylvain and Dimitri as well…” She said and this caused the man to raise his eyebrows.

“The boar… _Fucking…_ Did you try to butter me up, so I’d talk to that _monster?” _He hissed, pulling his hands away from her.

Byleth narrowed her eyes, “No. Dimitri just wants to apologise. I didn’t do this for him, Felix. I’m here for you, because I care about you.”

Felix sighed loudly, his shoulders sagging. “Empty words mean nothing to me…”

“_I know…” _Was all she could reply with.

“I’ll listen to the bastard… Sylvain probably forgave him already –“ His eyes widened when Byleth shook her head.

“No. He _accepted _it, but he’ll only forgive him if you do…” She interrupted.

Felix’s mouth twitched and he dragged his fingers through his hair. “Hmph… Okay…”

Byleth bobs her head and stands up, she opens the door and pokes her head out. Sylvain and Dimitri merely stand side by side and its incredibly awkward. “Felix has agreed to see you Dimitri...”

Dimitri stared at her in shock and Sylvain chuckled, shaking his head as he crossed his arms over his chest. “Thank you, Byleth. Somehow you always know just what to say.” His voice was laced with admiration and Byleth gave him a tight smile.

“Don’t thank me just yet.” She said and watched as Sylvain and Dimitri entered the room, she closed the door behind them.

Sylvain joined Felix on the bed, placing a reassuring hand on the younger man’s thigh when he noticed red rimming his eyes and streaks on his cheeks. Byleth was surprised that Felix didn’t remove Sylvain’s hand, instead he placed his own over the top. Dimitri shared a look with her, she mouthed a ‘Tell you later’ and that seemed to sate his curiosity.

Dimitri cleared his throat and furrowed his brow, “Felix, I am… Truly sorry – I realise my words alone are not enough to repent but they are all I have… However, I will… I will do everything I can through my actions so that I may gain your forgiveness.” He uttered, lowering his gaze when he frowned.

“Good. At least you’re not as dumb as you look.” Felix scrubbed angrily at his nose and ignored the small smile that Dimitri gave him.

Sylvain flickered his gaze to Byleth, “You had something you needed to tell us?”

“Okay… I’m going to tell you two something that I’ve only told Dimitri so far… I’m extremely grateful that he took it w_ell_…” Byleth deeply exhaled when Sylvain and Felix gave her confused looks.

“I am connected to Sothis, the goddess – she’s within me, since I was a child. I gained a power, one that is limited to my own strength. I…” She steeled herself, before she continued. “… I can go back in time – only five… Well, that’s all I’ve tried, I’m too scared to try and go back further… It sounds insane – I know…”

“You got that right – but you’re not one to lie like that. I expected you had some sort of power… You were always there just before something happened. Plus, your frequent nose bleeds…” Sylvain said in reply.

Felix huffed, “Why are you telling us this?” His brown eyes focused on her form and Byleth chewed at her bottom lip.

“Because…” Byleth felt a large hand grasp her own, swallowing it whole. She shifted her gaze to Dimitri who nodded for her to continue. She smiled sincerely in return and spoke, “… Because I used it when Rodrigue died…”

She grimaced when Felix’s frame tensed and he hissed, “_What?”_

“Dimitri died and I used my powers to warn him and Rodrigue… Rodrigue sacrificed himself, I had no control over that…” She answered and she felt tremendous guilt wash over her when Felix’s eyes filled with anger. She didn’t like that he directed it towards her, nor did she like Sylvain’s expression either.

“So, it is the stupid boar’s fault, my father would still be _alive_ if it wasn’t for him. Goddess – why the fuck did you tell me, Byleth?” Felix spat, clenching his jaw as his eyes became glassy.

Byleth gave him a small shrug as if the answer was obvious. “Because you deserve to know the truth… You all do – I’ll tell the others as well, not _everything _but most.” Byleth murmured, “I’m sorry, Felix… I really am and I know it’s just words, but I mean them – If I hadn’t meddled with time, your father would still be alive.”

Sylvain scoffed and ruffled his red locks with his free hand, “No wonder you said we might hate you after this… How long have you had this power?”

Dimitri didn’t seem to be taking the news well even after hearing it for the second time – nor seeing Felix’s reaction to it. “She’s had it since she met Edelgard, Claude and I all those years ago.” He replied for her.

Sylvain clicked his tongue, “You’ve been dealing with all that and you never told us – wait, when did you tell Dimitri?”

“This morning… I’m quite sick of secrets and I care about you all a lot, you might not agree with me, but I see you as my family and I – I love you all very much.”

“Hmph.” Felix rubbed at his eyes and Byleth was glad that he wasn’t crying. She couldn’t bear to see that again.

Sylvain raised his brow, “I think… I think that’s enough for today.”

“You may be right, Sylvain. Byleth and I will take our leave.” Dimitri said, picking up the cup that Byleth had placed on the ground.

Felix adverted Byleth’s gaze and grumbled something that she almost missed, “_Thanks_… For telling me…”

Sylvain patted Felix’s leg and stood up, ushering the professor and prince out the room. He closed the door behind himself when he exited after them.

“I forgive you, Dimitri – just don’t… Lose yourself again.” Sylvain said, rolling his eyes as he lowered them to Byleth. “Thank you for telling me too… And I know Felix appreciates it too – he cares a lot about your opinion, he just gets so flustered…” Sylvain teased fondly and Byleth chuckled lightly in return.

Byleth blushed and hugged Sylvain, “Thank you for looking after Felix, I’m glad he has you.”

When she pulled away, she was shocked to see his cheeks dusted a soft pink, to see the supposed philanderer blushing was quite a feat. She wondered if Felix got to see him like this often.

Sylvain chuckled and took a step back, “Good luck,” He winked and returned to his room.

Byleth walked with Dimitri down the dormitory hall, she slipped her hand into his, not fighting the urge to feel the warmth radiating from his palm.

“I’m hoping the others will be just as accepting as Felix and Sylvain were.” She said and she swore her heart fluttered when he squeezed her hand.

“They will, because its you.” Dimitri promised.


	17. For Fhirdiad

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The green haired man merely smiled at her, “I already know, Rhea has told me everything.”
> 
> Byleth gawked at him, “Wait… You already knew?” and the man simply nodded in return.

Byleth waited in the meeting room with Dimitri for the others, she had asked Sylvain and Felix to join as well because it would also be about their next move. It was highly likely that they would not attend and so Byleth prepared her notes, taking a sip of her lavender blend. She sighed softly at the warmth that slide down her throat and settled in her chest. Tea was always comforting. Byleth lifted her head to Dimitri’s form, observing as he stared into his chamomile tea.

“_Dima?”_ She called, her tone wavering with uncertainty. Byleth frowned when he didn’t reply and tried again. “Dimitri, are you okay?”

He finally jerked his head up, shifting his eye to hers like a startled animal. Dimitri almost dropped his cup of tea but quickly caught it. “… Yes, I’m okay – thank you Byleth.” Dimitri Responded and Byleth squinted at him.

“Dimitri, please don’t lie to me.” She said with a huff, she stood up and circled around the table. She grabbed the tea from his hands and settled it on the table. Byleth then plonked herself on the edge.

Dimitri’s eye shifted away as he sunk his teeth into his bottom lip. “I’m… I’m not lying.” He muttered and he grimaced at how pathetic he sounded.

Byleth untucked her ring from around her neck, fiddling with the jewellery. “Can you still hear them?” She suggested and Dimitri inhaled sharply.

_Right on the mark._

“You can talk to me, I’m right here.” She gave him a reassuring smile, reaching over to place her hand on his shoulder.

The man placed his over hers and pulled it off, instead he grasped it lightly in his lap. Byleth had to shuffle along the table so that she wouldn’t be tugged off by Dimitri.

Dimitri finally returned his gaze to hers. “I_ know._ Yet… It’s hard to speak of such things when I’ve kept it inside for so long…”

Byleth squeezed his hand, her heart sinking in her chest. “You can say the first thing that’s on your mind then.”

Dimitri huffed out a laugh, “I don’t think it would be very appropriate of me to say.”

“What… What do you mean?” Byleth inquired, her brow twisting in confusion.

Dimitri lowered his gaze to their hands, “I… I really love your hands.” He spoke clearly, albeit with ears a red that put Sylvain’s hair to shame.

Byleth felt her own skin flush and snorted, “Why is that no appropriate…?” Byleth pursed her lips when Dimitri gave her a small smile. “… Hmm, I have a feeling you wanted to say something else.”

“Yes, I did.” He confirmed.

Byleth sighed, “Well… I’m glad you love my hands because I love yours as well.”

Dimitri blinked and scrunched his face when her words sunk in. “_You shouldn’t._”

Byleth shook her head and slipped off the table, crouching down by his side. “But I do, and nothing is going to change that.” She placed her other hand over their joint ones, “And why can you love my hands, but I can’t love yours?”

Dimitri used his free hand to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, “Because your hands are so small, so kind and warm… They’re not like mine; stained with blood, scars and tainted skin…” Dimitri murmured, keeping his hand beside her ear.

Byleth narrowed her large pretty eyes, “Dimitri… My hands are also stained – I have been killing since I was a teenager and I never _felt anything._ I… I think I might have enjoyed it?” Byleth stared at her hands, “But… I hate killing now, especially when I know their faces and they have names… I don’t particularly like taking lives.” She lifted one of his hands and with newfound confidence she pressed her lips to the back of it – her action caused the man to gasp but she ignored it as she continued. “These hands taught me that – I remember you never wanted to hurt people… You got so angry when innocent people were hurt… I know you only came here for revenge… However, you gained so much more…”

Byleth’s eyes widened when she saw Dimitri’s eye fill with tears and his bottom lip quaver. She quickly reached up and wiped the tears away as soon as they fell. “Oh, please don’t cry…” She whispered, feeling her own eyes start to water.

Dimitri sniffed, trying to stop himself from crying. “Byleth… I don’t deserve your kindness… I don’t understand how someone so lovely _exists.”_

Byleth gave him a watery laugh and shrugged her shoulders, “I’m not that love—”

“—You are undeniably the most _loveliest _and _humblest _wom – no – _person _I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. You are wonderful, Byleth – never deny that.” Dimitri cut her off, his thumb sweeping against her cheekbone and over the red hue that dusted it.

Byleth choked back a sob, “_Dimitri…” _She uttered.

Dimitri swallowed a lump in his throat, “Byleth… I…” He halted when he heard voices coming from just behind the door and pulled away reluctantly.

Byleth stood up quickly and rubbed at her eyes, her eyes flickered to Dimitri’s rosy cheeks and she couldn’t help but smile.

_Goddess, she loved him._

Annette, Ingrid, Ashe, Dedue, Mercedes, Gilbert and Seteth entered the room and all their eyes grew comically wide at the sight of Dimitri by her side. Byleth snickered and helped Dimitri stand up.

Dedue took a step forward, “Y-Your Highness! You – you should be resting! Your wounds are still healing…” He said and Mercedes giggled from his side.

She smiled warmly, “Your Highness, we’re so glad you’re up… All thanks to our darling Byleth.” Mercedes’ smile shifted into a smirk when she spotted the blush adorning the professor’s and prince’s faces.

Ingrid sighed in relief and slumped beside Ashe, “_Thank goddess_…” she murmured, and Ashe nodded his head in agreement.

Annette clapped her hands together, “It’s wonderful to have you back, Your Highness! We were all so worried.”

Seteth hummed in return and Gilbert gave the prince a tender smile.

“I am well, I assure you… Especially because of all you – Byleth has told me… More importantly, there is something that needs to be addressed.” Dimitri stated and shared a look with the green-haired woman beside him. “…I wish to apologise. To all of you… I have led you down this dark path with me, and I have caused so much suffering along the way…. I cannot tell you how sorry I am for my behaviour. There is no apology that I could offer that would be efficient.”

Dimitri exhaled shakily and Byleth placed her hand on his arm, hoping to help in some way so that he could continue. “I know… No amount of regret can ever bring back the lives we have lost… I… I know that well… It’s like patching up a tear with a different material. Things can never truly be as they were. The best I can hope for is to make things whole again.”

“Your Highness, we have already forgiven you.” Mercedes replied, “You do not need to apologise. You are our leader, of course we will follow you.”

Ashe bobbed his head, “Mmhm, Mercie is right!”

Dimitri’s lips spread into a small smile, “Thank you… I wish to do the right thing from now on. That is why I have made the decision… I intend to take back the Kingdom capital. I wish to save our people, those who I turned my back on for far too long… To follow my heart and do the right thing… That is the only way I can atone for my sins.”

Gilbert grasped his chin, “Your Highness… If we can win back Fhirdiad, it will give us the advantage against our war with the Empire. As one who has served the royal family for ages, know that your words bring me great joy and pride.” Gilbert furrowed his brow as he continued, “That said, I must point out that if we make for Fhirdiad, the emperor’s head will slip further out of reach. Can you live with that?”

Dimitri narrowed his eye, “I still hold hatred in my heart for her and the ones responsible for the tragedy… That, I will carry with me until death.” Dimitri licked his bottom lip as he mulled over his thoughts. “But… My life is my own. It belongs to no one else, and it is high time that I started living for what I believe in. I will no longer allow the voices of the dead to bind me. This is something that I must do… No, something that I am choosing to do. I will accomplish my aim, even if it means risking my life to do so.” He stated with sounding conviction.

“By doing this… We can take the Empire with ease and save Rhea… I support you with everything that I am, Dimitri.” Byleth answered and she smiled when he gazed at her fondly.

Dedue bowed, “I am at your command, Your Highness. I will follow you anywhere.”

Ashe grinned, “My sword is at your command, Your Highness.”

“Count me in! The people of Fhirdiad need us!” Annette added.

Gilbert hummed, “Then it is decided: our next stop is Fhirdiad, the Kingdom Capital. For the future of Faerghus!”

Byleth beamed as her friends cheered but she quickly remembered the other reason she had called for this meeting. She cleared her throat, gaining everyone’s attention. “There is another reason you are here… There’s something I must discuss with you – something that only Dimitri, Felix and Sylvain know so far. I… I am sure you know that the goddess gifted me her powers, yet she gifted me with something in particular… I can control time, only a small fragment of it but I can go back in time. I’ve had this power before I met all of you – I’ve used it many times and I have seen you all horribly injured in ways I’d rather not describe…. It sounds unreal – I know but… It is the truth.”

Byleth noticed everyone’s baffled expressions and their soft whispers to each other, the only person who didn’t seemed shocked by this news was Seteth.

The green haired man merely smiled at her, “I already know, Rhea has told me everything.”

Byleth gawked at him, “Wait… You already knew?” and the man simply nodded in return.

Ingrid rubbed at the back of her neck, “Well… If Seteth says its true and you have already spoken to His Highness, Felix and Sylvain… Well, then I believe you too.”

“I believe you as well, Byleth. You would never lie to us.” Mercedes stated, giving her friend a sweet smile.

Ashe bobbed his head, “It’s a little absurd but believe you too.”

Annette giggled, “As do I! You’ve always had something special about you, Byleth!”

Byleth sighed in relief, she couldn’t believe her ears. “Heavens… Somehow this was the easiest of the three…”

Dimitri chuckled, the sound ringing in Byleth’s ears and causing her to jerk her head to the right to look at him. “I do hope I was second – compared to Felix and Sylvain.”

Byleth smirked and rolled her shoulders, turning her attention to Gilbert.

“We have much to discuss about our next plan of action. Seteth, Dedue, if you would join me.” Gilbert stated, bowing deeply to Dimitri before he left with Seteth and Dedue who also bowed to the prince.

Annette nudged Ashe, “That was probably one of the shortest meetings we’ve had in a while.”

Ashe chuckled and tugged on her arm, “Come on, I wanna check the kitchens – its about dinner time.”

Byleth giggled softly as she watched the two leave, but her eyes caught Mercedes who walked over and raised her brows at the two of them.

“Byleth, it will be your first time in Fhirdiad won’t it?” She said and Byleth gasped and nodded quickly.

“Oh, yes it will be… Why do you ask?” Byleth replied, brow furrowing.

Mercedes winked, “Because I will have to make you a warm attire – you’ll freeze to death in your stockings.”

Byleth blushed and glanced down at her sheer legs, catching Dimitri who was also _admiring _her legs. She folded her arms under her chest. “O-Oh… Mercie you don’t have to do that… Will you have enough time…” She mumbled.

“I will be making it and of course I can do it, especially because His Highness will be attending sewing classes again – wont he?” Mercedes teased, her lips forming a small smirk when Dimitri spluttered.

Byleth snorted and raised her brows at Dimitri, “You took on sewing?” She quipped and her laughing increased when Dimitri rolled his one eye.

“I… Yes…” Dimitri answered, hesitating for a moment.

Mercedes hummed, “Yes, he also wanted to make something for you… He was doing so well – I believe… Oh, what was it you wanted to make Byleth again…?”

Dimitri clicked his tongue, “A… A cloak…”

Byleth felt her lips form a shy smile and she bumped her arm against his, “I hope you continue to make it for me…”

“Of course… Anything for you Byleth.” He uttered and he placed his hand on her shoulder, skimming his fingers against the soft material.

Mercedes grinned, “Then it is decided, we’ll have to use extra thick material… You might freeze out there.” She pursed her lips in thought.

“Whatever you think is best!” Byleth said, fist pumping the air. She was incredibly excited to be able to wear something new and she knew Mercedes and Dimitri about do an amazing job.


	18. Reclaiming the Capital

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Byleth felt her ears tinge red and rolled her eyes, “Such a charmer, Mercie – no wonder Dedue fell for you.” 
> 
> “Well of course, I am quite the tease.” Mercedes snickered, covering her mouth.

The fabric is warm and ticklish against her skin, it contrasts beautifully with the silver armour that is fitted over the blue cloth. All her skin is covered, safe her face – the collar creeps up her neck, just below her ears. Mercedes fixes the skirt that hangs off from her belt, it reaches well past her knees and when Byleth twists the skirt parts and reveals her dark pants below. Her armoured boots stop at her thighs and she enjoys the clunky sounds with her small steps as she follows Mercedes’ pulls on her armour. Mercedes tugs on her shoulder, fixing the spaulder and pulls at the bands of leather on her arms. When Mercedes glances over Byleth’s form she smiles, a light huff leaving her.

“All we need is the cloak that Dimitri is fixing up.” Mercedes said breathlessly, her gloved hands reached up to brush of lock of green hair away from Byleth’s face. Mercedes had recently trimmed again, and the armour looked almost complete with the professor’s now short bob.

Byleth hummed in return and placed her hands on her hips, the Sword of the Creator’s is sheathed by her side and the weight is comforting. The woman finally moves her gaze from her reflection to the priest beside her. It’s weird to see herself so _covered _and _modest, _especially after wearing such revealing armour for most of her life. However, Byleth likes the armour – loves it because she knows it took a long time to create and it means the world to her that Mercedes cares so much.

Byleth placed her armoured hand on the taller woman’s shoulder, without her smaller heeled boots, she’s a a few inches shorter than Mercedes now. “Thank you, Mercie. You never cease to amaze me.” She replied.

Mercedes blushed and shook her head, giggling softly. “You’re welcome, Byleth. I’m glad you like it, I was… I was inspired by Dimitr’s birthmother Amelia.” Mercedes paused when Byleth’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “I was searching through the library for ideas and I found her portrait in the history of Faerghus. She was incredibly beautiful and a leader – which reminded me of you.”

Byleth felt her ears tinge red and rolled her eyes, “Such a charmer, Mercie – no wonder Dedue fell for you.”

“Well of course, I am quite the tease.” Mercedes snickered, covering her mouth.

Byleth laughed with her but froze when her eyes drifted over the woman’s shoulders to meet one blue orb. She gave him a small smile and Mercedes quickly noticed her former professor’s sudden silence and turned around.

“Oh, hello Your Highness. It’s so good to see you – ah, excellent. You’ve finished the cloak, doesn’t Byleth look heroic?” Mercedes greeted, hurrying over to take the cloak from the man’s hands.

Dimitri bobbed his head, his eye darting over form to appreciate Mercedes’ hard work. It had definitely payed off and Byleth looked _perfect. _“Yes, she looks like she belongs in Faerghus.” Dimitri stated, feeling his skin warm when Byleth adverted his gaze almost shyly. Dimitri shifted his attention to Mercedes, “Ah, Mercedes… Can I help Byleth with the cloak? We will be departing for Fraldarius shortly, could you please…”

Mercedes smiled widely and bowed, “Of course, Your Highness.” She quickly winked at Byleth and left the room.

Byleth exhaled shakily and waited for Dimitri to move closer to her. Her eyes drifted to the cloak in his hands and she gasped audibly because –

“Wow…” She gawked, her eyes nearly popping out of her skull. Byleth was shifted to face the mirror and Dimitri stood behind her.

Byleth swallowed when his hands crept around her front to fit the cloak to her armour, it felt all kinds of intimate. It made her feel vulnerable and perhaps if it was with another, she wouldn’t like it as much as she did with Dimitri. Dimitri tugged at the fur lining the edges, it hung to one side of her shoulder and she desperately wanted to see the back of it. She had caught a glimpse of a design when she had first seen it.

Dimitri turned her around, and her face met his chest, she jerked her head up to gage his expression. He seemed pleased with the design and she turned her face to look at the back of her cloak. Her large eyes widened and the small chuckle that left Dimitri made her shudder. Byleth felt tears form at the sight of the large Blue Lions Crest adorning her back. She blinked away the moisture and returned her gaze to the prince.

Dimitri gave her a minimal smile, “I could not decide between our Houses’ crest or the Fraldarius crest – however… That would make you my wife –“ Dimitri laughed awkwardly and removed his hands from her shoulders. “Besides, you’re the heart and soul of the Blue Lions. The crest belongs to you… Do you like it Lettie?”

Byleth blinked owlishly and blushed darkly at the nickname and his declaration of her possibly being his wife. She knew he hadn’t meant it in that exact way but to hear it aloud was baffling. “_L-Lettie?” _She repeated, her brow furrowing as she tasted the word on her tongue.

“Mm… Well, you call me Dima – I thought it would be appropriate to give you a nickname as well… Lettie was the best option.” He answered and the soft expression adorning his friend’s face was worth it.

“Thank you… Dima, that’s really sweet. I’ve never really had a nickname like that… I mean – my father called me ‘Kiddo’ or ‘Dolly’ but never one from my name.” Byleth spoke, fiddling with the fur of her new cloak. The scent adorning it was musky and it reminded her of the man standing before her.

He chuckled lightly, “_Dolly_? That’s adorable… Did you look like one as a child?” Dimitri crossed his arms over his broad chest.

Byleth pouted at his almost teasing tone. “Perhaps, I… Don’t remember much of my childhood… Sothis – I think she stopped me from having true emotion…” She narrowed her eyes and steadied her hand on the hilt of her sword.

Dimitri moved his hand to place it over hers, squeezing it. “I am truly grateful that you can show them easily now… I love your smile.” He stated.

“Dima…” She mumbled, glancing down at their joint hands. “… I’m happy that I can, I don’t understand some of the emotions I feel still but –“ She chuckled, “- Its getting there.”

Dimitri’s one eye focused on her face, “I’m here, Lettie… I can help… I’m a little stilted with emotions as well – sometimes I’m unsure if I’m even smiling anymore… But I want to help you.” Dimitri uttered, dipping his head lower to her level. “What are you feeling right now?”

Byleth dug her teeth into her bottom lip, unsure on how to answer that question. She could technically be honest and spout out everything she was feeling or… Well, she could make something up.

“I… Well…” Byleth began but thank _Sothis _someone knocked on her bedroom door. The sound echoed through her room and the cheery call of her name alerted her of who it was. “Come in, Annie.” She stated loudly.

Dimitri slipped his hands away from her and she couldn’t stop herself from following his retreating touch. It was addictive and she was sure Dimitri felt the same. He had felt hesitant to remove his hands and Byleth regretted that she hadn’t said something before Annette entered the room.

Annette opened her mouth but quickly clamped it shut when she saw the close proximity of the professor and prince. The woman flicked her red locks over her shoulder and grinned, “Wonderful, you’re both still here. We’re all waiting for you by the stables. It’s time to reclaim our home!”

Byleth bobbed her head, “Wonderful, thanks Annie. Dimitri and I will join you.” Her eyes flickered over to the princes’ and she flushed under his penetrating gaze.

***

Byleth shuddered from the chill that practically rattled her bones. Even with the thick armour covering her form, she was still cold.

Byleth exhaled, her breath visible in the air. “You haven’t been here since your imprisonment…” She murmured, turning to Dimitri.

Dimitri hummed, “Yes… After I lost you… And Dedue helped me escape from prison. I killed soldiers from my homeland, stole weapons from their corpses, and made my escape, soaked in their blood…” Dimitri crossed his arms over his chest, narrowing his eye, “To think this is how I would return to the city of my birth, after all that has happened…”

“You have Rodrigue to thank, Dimitri… He – he was a remarkable man, even if he did not believe it himself.” Byleth replied with, she moved one hand to rest against the prince’s forearm. “I’m proud of you.”

Dimitri’s expression softened; he shifted his arms so that he could hold her hand. “Yes, Rodrigue gave his life to show me the way back to this path. You… Lettie, you have risked so much as well.” Dimitri murmured, tugging her forward so that he could shield her from the cold. “I am so glad to have you by my side… From the bottom of my heart, I am… forever grateful_.” _He squeezed her hand, pleased that he could still feel her warmth through the thick fabric.

Byleth blushed, her skin darkening in colour. “Dima… There’s nowhere else I would rather be.” She confessed, giving him a small smile.

Dimitri returned her smile, “Let’s win this, Byleth. Let’s make it out alive and celebrate our victory… _Together_.”

“Of course, we will reclaim the capital and you will take your rightful place on the throne.”

“Hm… I still don’t –“

Dimitri halted when a gloved finger pressed against his lips. “-You are the only one who belongs on that throne, Dimitri. It’s yours… Your people will welcome you with open arms, have f_aith.” _

The man exhaled and furrowed his brow, “How can you be so sure? I _hurt them.” _

“The only man that matters is the one who stands today, who you have become. The one who will lead his people with confidence and kindness.” She retorted quickly.

Dimitri didn’t reply, instead he looked to his right and Byleth followed his gaze. She hoped her words had impacted and eased the doubt that clouded his mind.

Gilbert walked towards them and bowed deeply, lifting his head as he spoke, “Your Highness, professor. The path to the castle has been cleared. We are making preparations to advance. Say the word and we march.”

“Give the order, Dima.” Byleth said, turning her attention to Dimitri.

The prince bobbed his head, “Yes… Let us begin.” He replied, just as softly.

The three made their way to the rest of their army, Gilbert and Byleth stood either side of Dimitri as he shouted.

“Everyone! Listen well!” Dimitri bellowed and the crowd fell silent almost immediately. “This battle is for all that the Empire stole from us! It is a fight to reclaim the days of peace we once enjoyed!” Dimitri placed one hand over his heart. “I give you two commands – stay alive and follow your heart! That is all I ask! The gates to the Kingdom capital are open! Join me, it is time to finally take back our home!”

The army cheered in return, lifting their weapons to the heavens. Byleth couldn’t help but grin at the sight, they were finally going to stand up against the Empire.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Byleth's nickname is subject to change if people don't like the nickname 'Lettie'. It stems from the Leth part of her name and it honestly sounds really cute. However, I can change it to 'By' if people prefer it. Thank you for all of your support, it means a lot.


	19. Adoration

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Byleth placed her hand on Dimitri’s shoulder, slipping it down to hold his hand. With the railing no one could see her intertwine their fingers. “Don’t cry, Dimitri. This is a happy time.” She whispered, trying to stop herself from crying as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all your amazing support! Everyone seems to like Lettie so I'll be keeping it as that! Love you and enjoy this chapter~!!

Byleth wandered the halls of the castle, following Gilberts instructions to make it to Dimitri’s room. The battle against Cordelia had been successful and their army had finally taken back their Kingdom. Her battle had been a hard one, especially with the strange almost mechanical titans that charged at them. They were unusual enemies and Byleth had never seen anything like that in her short life time. Byleth had also been busy checking on their army and helping Mercedes and Annette with healing. Her magic had been progressing of late. Byleth brushed the thought away, it was a joyous occasion, they should be celebrating their victory. Byleth had been tasked with leading Dimitri to the balcony where he would speak to his people. She knew Dimitri still held doubts about whether he was worthy of ruling the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus, however Byleth had faith that they would accept him, he just had to take the first step. Byleth’s eyes darted to each door and to the beautiful displays of artwork that adorned the walls.

“Four from the left…” She murmured and halted in front of a large white door, covered in golden designs. Byleth could hear Dimitri’s voice and what sounded to be like Dedue’s from the other side. She knocked on the door three times, “Dimitri, it’s me.” She spoke, hoping her voice carried through the thick wood.

The door opened, and she was met with Dedue’s smiling face as he peered down at her. “Hello, professor.” He widened the door, allowing the small woman to enter.

Byleth returned the smile, “Hello, Dedue.” She said and walked in, yet she halted almost immediately at the sight of Dimitri’s new attire, a soft gasp leaving her. “_Gods almighty.”_

_I love you._

Gone was the dark and gloomy black armour that Dimitri had been wearing for the past couple of months. Now, it was white, black and blue armour. The Blaiddyd crest was printed into his chest and etched into the inside of his cloak. The fur that had been on his previous outfit was on his new one as well, yet it appeared fresher and lined the edge of the cloak as well. He looked powerful, mature, everything a king should be. Dimitri still kept is hair half up-half down, however now it was braided into a small bun at the back, due to how long it had gotten over the months. Perhaps she should cut it, but she did like it long and Dimitri seemed to as well.

The former professor blushed darkly and cleared her throat, sharing a look with Dedue. He only quirked his brow in reply. Byleth clamped her mouth shut and looked back at Dimitri.

“New… New outfit?” She squeaked, swearing that if she had a heartbeat it would be trying to leap out of her chest.

Dimitri chuckled, however it seemed forced – especially because of his flustered expression and scarlet tinted ears. “Yes, it was my father’s. Gilbert said I should wear it… Do you –“ Dimitri exhaled and brushed a stray strand of hair away from his eyes. “- Do you like it?”

Byleth nodded quickly, “I… Yes, I do… You look very handsome, Dima.” She answered, smiling when Dimitri gazed at her fondly.

“Thank you, Lettie.” Dimitri uttered, and the deep tone of his voice caused the woman to shiver. The man turned to look at himself in the mirror, fixing his cloak. “I still can’t believe I’m back… _Home. _It’s unbelievable… We defeated that horrid woman, who forced our people to suffer their tyranny… But all of that ends today. No more blood will be needlessly spilled. Now that Cornelia has fallen, we will exert pressure on the nobles who were aligned with her. Perhaps we may yet find a connection to the tragic incident in Duscur. Once we do that, we will finally be able to prove the innocence of its people. “

Dedue bowed deeply, “Your Highness… I am certain that would make those of Duscur who lost their lives that day very happy. I am grateful. And I am proud to serve a man such as you.” He lifted his head and stood tall.

Dimitri’s skin flushed as he turned around, shaking his head, “It is an honour to have you by my side Dedue and of course _you_, Byleth.”

“We’ll continue to stay by your side, as will Gilbert and all of your friends and comrades.” Byleth stated, she clapped her hands together. “Now, I came here to collect you, Dima – off we go! Your people have been patiently awaiting your return.”

Dimitri blanched, “Do you mean… No. I can’t bear to face them after all that I –“

“You must face them. _Remember_ what I told you?” Byleth interrupted.

The king huffed and gave her a tired smile. “ Right you are, as ever. I am their King, after all…”

Byleth snickered and extended her arm out to the blonde-haired man, who graciously accepted it with a slight roll of his one eye.

Dedue opened the door for the two and closed it after he exited the room with them. “I will see to Mercedes, we will be supporting you from below.” The Duscur man bowed and left the long hallway.

The king and former professor walked the opposite way to Dedue and headed to the balcony, where Dimitri’s people were waiting for him.

Byleth lifted her head when she heard the king inhale sharply. She squeezed his hand, “Dima, it’s okay to be nervous.”

He scoffed lightly, “Nothing gets by you, does it?” Dimitri looked down at her, pulling her closer to his side with their joint hands. “Will you stay by my side when we are up there?” He asked.

The woman’s large eyes widened further at his words and she blinked owlishly. Byleth bobbed her head, “Of - of course. If it will bring you comfort, then of course.”

Dimitri stopped them and shifted his free arm to clutch at her shoulder. “Nothing would bring me more than having you by my side.” He murmured, pulling her closer so that he could embrace her.

Byleth relaxed instantly against him, wrapping her arms around him. Se rested her face against the hard armour. Byleth realised then that Dimitri’s hugs were, undoubtably the best. “_Dimitri…” _She mumbled.

The king pulled back to look at her, “Byleth, after…. After we celebrate – I want to show you all of my home. I’ll take you on a tour…. Show you places only I know. Just the two of us.” He promised, giving her a smile that caused the woman to look away shyly.

Dimitri grasped her chin and guided her face back to him. Byleth dug her teeth into her bottom lip, thinking of what she could reply with.

“I’d really like that… Hmm… Hey, Dima. Can you make that expression one more time?” She quipped and she felt warm all over when she saw recognition flash in Dimitri’s one eye.

He made the same expression, his lips quirking up into an amuse smirk. “_Like this_?”

“Perfect. Downright _mesmerising.”_ She responded, leaning in as she cupped his cheek gingerly, her fingers skimming his smile.

Dimitri titled his head into her touch, “Using my words against me, so cruel, Lettie.” His lips brushed her gloved hands.

_I love you so much._

Byleth exhaled through her nose and opened her mouth to speak but stopped at the sound of hurrying footsteps that were getting louder with every second. Dimitri pulled away first, though Byleth didn’t miss the small frown that formed on his lips. The woman took a step back and chewed the inside of her cheek to stop herself from laughing.

Gilbert huffed loudly as he rounded the corner, “Professor, Your Highness! There you are, we cannot keep the people waiting any longer.”

Dimitri dipped his head, “My apologies, Gilbert… Byleth and I –“ He coughed and shook his head, “- We got caught up.”

The older man sighed with a gentle smile adorning his lips. “There is no need to apologise. After you, Your Highness.” He bowed deeply.

The three made their way to the balcony, soft muttering could be heard from below and the bright lights on either side of the courtyard showed all the people’s faces. Their brilliant smiles and laughter echoed loud and clear. Dimitri took a step forward and the people below started to cheer, throwing their arms up to wave at their king. The former professor could spot their friends below, embracing each other with watery smiles. Byleth and Gilbert stood either side of the man, and the sight of Dimitri staring in disbelief caused Byleth’s eyes to tear up. She covered her mouth as she noticed tears form in Dimitri’s eye, even Gilbert appeared emotional.

Dimitri gawked, his brow furrowing. “What… What is this…?” He trailed off.

“As you can see, the people are rejoicing at the return of their king.” Gilbert answered.

The king turned his eyes to Gilbert, his shoulders starting to tremble. “Even though I turned my back on them, and fled the Kingdom in disgrace…”

“Even so… The spectacle before you does not lie. We are a Kingdom in need of a king, A hero to save the people from their long oppression. Your Highness… It is truly a blessing that you have returned.” Gilbert assured, his eyes crinkling at the edges when he gave the man a gentle smile.

Dimitri’s voice started to break as tears started to finally fall. “Do I really have the right to stand here? Will they accept me as their king? Bloodstained as I am… Am I fit to be king?” He choked out, his bottom lip wobbling.

Byleth placed her hand on Dimitri’s shoulder, slipping it down to hold his hand. With the railing no one could see her intertwine their fingers. “Don’t cry, Dimitri. This is a happy time.” She whispered, trying to stop herself from crying as well.

_I adore you._

Dimitri’s face turned red and he laughed softly as tears continued to fall. “These are happy tears, my Lettie. I am finally home again… Faerghus… How I missed you…” He tightened his hold on her hand and waved to his people, a sincere smile on his handsome face.

***

The winds tickled at Byleth’s skin, ruffling her green locks and her clothes. The night air was cold, _much colder _than during the day time. She sighed softly and leaned on the edge of the lookout; from her place she could practically see all of the capital. Byleth rested her chin in the palm of her hand. The celebratory festivities had taken a toll on the woman, she still wasn’t a big fan of large gatherings, especially for so long. She remembered escaping the ball after nearly all her students had asked her to dance and she’d been thrown about the dancefloor for almost an hour. Byleth felt tired just thinking about it but, she had been able to speak to Dimitri. That had been the best part, well – their dance together at the Goddess Tower was definitely the highlight of the night.

Byleth pulled away from the edge and turned, she should probably head back to the party, she’d been away for too long. Yet, she stopped as a familiar figure walked towards her.

“There you are, Lettie.” Dimitri greeted, he noticed her slight shiver and hummed. “It may be spring, but the nights are quite chilly here in Fhirdiad… Still, our celebratory feast shows no sign of stopping. Have you grown weary of the festivities?” He stopped by her side, placing his hand atop her shoulder.

Byleth exhaled, becoming visible in the air. Dimitri looked so warm in his fluffy cloak and she wondered if she could hide away in it, away from the chill that clutched at her soft skin. “I was going to ask you the same.”

The man sighed, “It’s not that I have grown weary… More that I find it difficult to be around everyone at the moment. I have just returned from visiting the graves of my loved ones.” He uttered, the wind carrying his voice.

Byleth placed her hand over his, lifting it off her shoulder so that she could grip it. Holding hands had become second nature for the two, like their hands were made for each other. _It felt right. _And Byleth knew Dimitri found comfort in her touch.

“Dimitri…” She murmured, her lips pulling into a frown.

“It has been a while since I left flowers.” Dimitri continued, lowering his gaze to their hands. “I was always terribly afraid of going near there... But I could not stay away. You have taught me something important, Byleth.”

Byleth swore her heart fluttered in her chest and decided to tease her dear friend. “_Humour?_”

The man rolled his eye and snorted, “You never let that up, do you? Your humour is the driest, second to Felix – you could learn something from Alois. That man is hilarious.”

“Alois? He uses puns to sound funny and most of them are terrible. Your humour is weird Dimitri.” She scrunched her nose up, “And sarcasm is not _dry.”_

Dimitri laughed gently; the sound pleasant to Byleth’s ears. “Byleth… No, what I am referring to is far more valuable. How should I put this…? Perhaps it is more accurate to say that… You taught me how to live.” Dimitri paused at the sight of Byleth’s shocked expression. He knew she wanted to say something, but he quickly continued, he had to get this off his chest. “If you and I had not reunited on that fateful day, I am certain I would have died a fruitless death on the battlefield. I would have foolishly challenged a horde of foes and, in doing so, needlessly sacrificed the lives of my friends and myself.”

Byleth squeezed at his hand, her smile wobbling as her pretty eyes shone. She stopped herself from interrupting Dimitri, she had to hear everything first.

“But now I have returned to my rightful place. I struggle with what to say, when I know well that words are not enough to express my gratitude. You saved me from the darkness… and guided be back to the light. Thank you, Byleth. With all that I am, I thank you.” Dimitri finished; his smile was extremely bright in the night.

Byleth wiped at her eyes, “I… Dimitri… I didn’t – I’m…” She clamped her mouth shut when his fingers pressed to her mouth and she had a sudden urge to kiss them.

_I have always loved you._

“_Lettie._ Don’t say you deserve the gratitude or that you didn’t do anything. Meeting you has… Well, it was probably the best day of my life.” His large gloved fingers caught the tears that started to fall.

She sniffed and fluttered her eyes closed, she inhaled deeply and opened her eyes. “I… That – I’m so glad I met you… You’re… You mean so much to me.” She confessed, feeling her eyes sting from the tears. “Are you happy?” She asked.

Dimitri’s skin was flushed and his hand on her cheek brushed circles into the tan skin. “That… is a hard question to answer. I still do not believe I deserve happiness. These hands of mine have taken so many lives… Nobles and commoners. Adult and children. Perhaps a day will come when I have finally atoned for my sins… but such a day is not possible until after the war is over.

But I digress… for tonight, our only focus should be to bask in our victory. After that, we must prepare for out battle with the Empure.To start, we must absorb the Kingdom knights take by the Dukedom into our own forces and reshuffle our troops… The lords will need to help our territory of Imperial forces, and I will use my authority as king to gather forces from various regions… And we’ll have to ask the merchants to lend us the funds we require… Oh, and we must request delivery of supplies at once. “

Byleth’s mind span and she groaned, “That sounds like a lot of work. Good luck with that.”

Dimitri smirked, “Oi… You’re going to help me, Archbishop – we’re in this together. There is much to do, but it is all critical work if we hope to stand a chance against the Empire.”

“You will soon face Edelgard…” She muttered aloud, her eyes narrowing when she remembered their last meeting with the woman.

Dimitri nodded his head curtly, pulling his hand away from her face. He shifted his gaze to the view below. “Yes… I am well aware. I believe we have spoken of this before… Everyone has something they simply cannot accept. As for Edelgard, I am certain she will never be able to accept the Church of Serios. I believe that is why she seeks to destroy it. She is looking to revolutionise the world. In her mind, for the better. But even if she manages to birth a new world… It would be at the cost of… I wish to end this war through acceptance, not annihilation. Just as my people accepted me and just as you accepted me, I wish dearly to accept her. But I fear…” Dimitri looked back at Byleth. “… I fear she’s too far gone… I do not – I don’t think I can ever forgive her either, but I will try.”

“Dimitri, that’s all you can do. No one expects you to forgive her, however… If you can accept her, well I think she would appreciate that. I do not truly understand what she wants to accomplish but she seems determined to win. I also think she’s lonely… All she has now is Hubert. I… I don’t know how to feel about her.” Byleth pursed her lips.

“That is understandable. I’m glad I can speak to you about this… I’ve mentioned a few things to Dedue but not things like this. I know you won’t judge me for thinking such things.” Dimitri took a step closer to her. “I’m sorry we drifted back to war, I promised to show you the castle – didn’t I?”

***

“And this, this is my Father and my Uncle Rufus.” Dimitri stated, gesturing to the large painted picture that hung on the hallway wall.

Byleth stared at the painting, her eyes drifting over the two brothers. They were eerily similar; however, there were major differences between the two. Rufus had a roguish smirk, one that reminded her of Sylvain and his eyes were a darker blue than Lambert’s. His hair was also a shade lighter than his younger brother’s and he was half a head taller than Lambert. Lambert’s expression was soft, and Dimitri did indeed resemble his father; they had the same smile. Lambert was also handsome, and his darling smile was very charming.

She hummed, “You have your father’s smile.”

Dimitri followed her gaze and focused on his father, “Rodrigue said that a lot.”

“Mm… Were you close with your uncle?” She asked, looking at Dimitri instead.

Dimitri shook his head. “I don’t think my uncle wanted anything to do with me. He, ignored me whenever he could and… I always wondered if he disliked me because I bore a crest.” Dimitri narrowed his one eye. “I don’t understand why you need a crest just to rule… It’s unfair – but… Well, I don’t think my uncle wanted to rule anyway.”

Byleth frowned, “No… I think your uncle would have still loved you, you’re his brother’s son and his nephew. You’re the only family he had left. Besides, he kept an eye on you, didn’t he?”

“Mm… I – you’re right. As always,” Dimitri let out a small laugh. “I just wish we had been closer…”

Byleth felt Dimitri tug on her hand, pulling her to the next painting. She enjoyed talking to Dimitri about his family. The only family she had had was Jeralt, she’d never known her mother and a part of her was upset by that fact. Her father had always stated such lovely things about her, and Rhea had spoken in a way that perhaps indicated that she held some romantic feelings for her. Byleth truly wished she had been able to grow up with Freya, but she was sure that her mother was probably happy with her father in the afterlife.

The two stopped in front of a painting depicting a woman with long ash blonde hair tied up into a bun, her fringe curling around her face to frame it. Her steely silver eyes were heavily lidded, and her eyelashes were long. Her jawline was sharp, and her plump lips were set into a small smile. The woman wielded a sword, the Blaiddyd crest etched into the hilt. Her left hand was resting on the hilt and on her finger was the wedding ring that Byleth had seen around Dimitri’s neck.

The woman was incredibly beautiful.

Byleth gaped, her attention enraptured by the woman’s piercing gaze. “Is this…” She trailed off.

“Yes, this is my birthmother Amelia.” Dimitri finished; his expression soft when he admired his mother’s face.

Byleth bobbed her head, “She’s… She looks so powerful.” She said, somehow turning her attention to the man beside her.

Dimitri chuckled, “You sound like my father. My father told countless stories about her when I was a child. I knew he loved my Stepmother Patricia but – well, when he spoke of Amelia… He had this wistful look in his eyes. Apparently, it had been love at first sight, for my father.”

“That sounds lovely…” Byleth stated, “It actually reminds me of my father. In my father’s journal all he wrote about was my mother. He prattled on about her eyes, her smile, her amazing tea. How pretty she looked with flowers.”

“I never knew Jeralt was a romantic.” Dimitri bemused, his smile widening at Byleth’s swift roll of her pretty eyes.

Byleth sighed, “Mm, I hadn’t known either… There was a lot of things I had no idea about.”

“When you were younger, was it hard to express emotion?” Dimitri questioned; his brow raised.

Byleth mulled over the question and bobbed her head, “Yes… It was almost like Sothis locked them away – it wasn’t until I joined with her that I expressed myself more and well… Being with all of you.” She smiled and continued, “I have a lot of questions for Rhea. Mainly about my mother, I know she did something at my birth – I’m just not entirely sure what it was.”

“Byleth. I’ll do everything I can to help you achieve that goal, it’s the least I can do.”

Byleth thanked him and continued walking, looking at all the paintings that decorated the walls and stopped when her eyes landed on a familiar sight: a young Dimitri grinning widely.

“Oh. I like this one.” She whistled.

Dimitri followed her and scoffed, his ears tinging red at his young portrait. “Of course, you would.”

Byleth giggled, “Your young self really helped me.” Her eyes softened and she gingerly touched the frame of the portrait. “Plus, you were really cute when you were younger.”

“Ah, yes… In the dreams?” He responded, standing close to her, his arm brushing against her shoulder.

“Yes, did… Did you see me in your dreams, or did it appear differently?” She asked.

Dimitri grasped his chin in thought, “You appeared as you look now, it was strange when I dreamt… It was almost like a memory rather than a dream.”

“I felt that way when I spoke to Sothis in one of my dreams. It was… It felt like a memory, I don’t exactly understand how it works.”

Dimitri huffed, “Another thing we will have to discuss with Lady Rhea when we save her.”

She nodded, her eyes focusing on the small smiling boy in the painting. She remembered all his kind and loving words. “Mm… Dimitri, you said I saved you from the darkness but well… I think you saved me too, you were always nice to me – even if you didn’t exactly like me at the beginning. Yet, you still smiled, still made sure I felt included – you were _always there _and so I can’t even imagine a life without you near me. Life just doesn’t make sense without you in it.”

Dimitri exhaled shakily, his hands landing on her shoulders to twist her frame. “Lettie… I was a fool for not trusting you at the beginning, you are a remarkable woman and friend. My dearest companion and someone I have always looked up to.”

Byleth blushed and swallowed the lump in her throat, his words made her feel tingly “I… Dimitri… You’re so important to me and I… I um…” She adverted his gaze when she felt her stomach fill with butterflies.

Dimitri tilted his head downwards, his face inching closer to hers. “Byleth?” He called; voice laced with concern. “What’s wrong?”

“Dimitri… Dima, I… I – you’re…” Byleth stumbled over her words, growing more flustered with each passing second. Byleth took a deep breath in and grasped hold of his hands on her shoulders and pulled them down, lacing them with her own.

“Lettie… You can tell me anything, you know that, right?”

She gave him a sweet smile, her voice smooth as honey and she swore she could feel her heart beating or maybe that was Dimitri’s pulse she could feel. Maybe she shouldn’t say it now, maybe she should wait. But perhaps he would take it the wrong way and it would be pushed aside. Perhaps she should stop before... No, he should know, he should know… Oh it didn’t matter, what mattered was…

“_I love you, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd.”_


End file.
